


Game of Secrets

by TowardTheStars



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, L is Kira (Death Note), M/M, Romance, Yagami Light is Kira
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-01-25 02:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21349006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TowardTheStars/pseuds/TowardTheStars
Summary: L despises college. However, when Light Yagami bumps into him, he finds his boredom alleviated when they end up playing a dangerous game of secrets.This game has unforeseen consequences, and when Light admits his darkest secret, L is drawn into a world of strategy and deception where he simply must emerge triumphant, all the while keeping a wannabe god sane and victorious.
Relationships: Amane Misa/Yagami Light, Beyond Birthday/L, L/Yagami Light, Light & A, Matt | Mail Jeevas/Mello | Mihael Keehl
Comments: 33
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written a few years ago and originally posted on Fanfiction.net. I'm finally moving it to AO3 as a way to put all my stories in one place.

L couldn’t comprehend the queasy feeling that was afflicting his stomach. It was an unfamiliar sensation and one that he did not find particularly pleasing. It was bothering him greatly, for he could find no specific reason for this feeling; indeed, this day was much like any other. He had simply gone through his regular routine of waking up, skulking around campus and attending the droll classes that marked his college education.

L sighed. College was a complete waste of his time and he was regretting every moment of it. The classes were full of meaningless lectures about topics he understood better than the professors. There was nothing remotely interesting or exciting for him to learn, especially since he’d already taught himself everything. None of his peers interested him in the slightest; in fact, they bored him greatly. He had yet to find someone who could maintain an intelligent conversation for longer than a minute. All of his fellow students only seemed interested in the opposite gender, celebrities, and cars; all of which L found boring and vapid.

The only reason L was here was that he needed a college degree to achieve his dream of becoming a world-class detective. Throughout his childhood, he had read every single mystery novel he could lay his hands on and usually solved them within the first 20 pages. He began to persistently bother local detectives with prying questions and eventually became involved in several cases of his own, solving all and building up a reputation. This was why it was simply ridiculous for him to need to attend college. He already had a career in the making, and now he needed to change his plans in order to include a college degree. Watari had insisted, however, and eventually, L had succumbed. Then to make matters even worse, Watari had a brilliant idea to send L half-way around the world to Japan of all places. Not only was he going to suffer four miserable years, but he was going to do it all away from his beautiful England. Watari believed that this would make L less dependent and hopefully more social as he would need to interact with people to survive on his own.

L believed it was literal hell on earth.

He was also so _bored _all the time.

He didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to take the monotonicity of his daily routine. The little interacting with others L actually did was tedious and wearing. The schoolwork presented no challenges, and he could actually feel his brain slowing down due to the lack of any challenge. He desperately needed something interesting to happen. Murder would be nice as it would allow him to use his deduction skills to some extent. However, with the maniacal Kira eradicating all those who committed crimes, there had been a significant drop in crime, leaving L with simply nothing to do.

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by a heavy force running into him, knocking him to the ground and spilling his books everywhere.

He looked up, prepared to shoot his most murderous glare at the fool who had so clumsily ran into him, only to find that it was _Light Yagami._

Light Yagami as in the most popular beloved person at the university. The general census was that he was the most beautiful, perfect person ever to exist.

It was easy to see why he was adored by so many. He fit all the standards of beauty that society was obsessed with. He had also proven himself extremely intelligent and certainly had a bright and promising future in front of him. He was charming and charismatic. Light also enforced the idea that life wasn’t fair. Despite all odds, Light skillfully embodied his beauty, intelligence, and charm: a combination that could prove deadly if played correctly.

He was also the exact opposite of L in every way possible. Where Light Yagami was beautiful, L was ugly. Where Light was sociable and adored, L was reclusive and tended to be ignored by all. They were polar opposites, much like the day and night.

Light Yagami was the one made for the spotlight. He expected all he met to admire and love him unconditionally. Meanwhile, L was the one made for the shadows. In the darkness, his startling appearance was smoothed by the softness darkness provided. L preferred the night, and in turn, developed fairly nasty insomnia.

L was the one to be googled at for a second and then immediately disregarded for nothing for a freak or occasionally the mad genius. He was always passed over for those that were more visually pleasing.

The only similarity that seemed to exist between these two was their astounding intelligence. Both had scored perfect scores on their entrance tests, making them the brightest the university had to offer.

L had only come into contact with Light Yagami once when they were forced to present together at the welcoming ceremony. Standing next to each other, one could not help but be completely struck by the differences, and he could tell Light was annoyed with having to share the attention with someone as ungainly like him.

L despised Light for his effortless perfection, for there was simply no way for anyone to be that perfect without harboring at least one dark secret.

That was it! That was what L would do to alleviate the boredom. He would discover that secret. He would find the flaws in Light Yagami that had to be there, even if everyone else refused to acknowledge them. He was uncertain how exactly this would occur, but if there was one thing L was good at was wearing people down enough until they were ready to tell him anything. ***

“Hey, are you okay? I’m really sorry about this. I should have been watching where I was going. I ran into you pretty hard.” Yagami turned to help, a perfect countenance of apology and concern adorning his face. He faltered when he finally saw who exactly he had run so sloppily into. Maybe it was the messy black hair, or the deathly pale skin which only made the heavy bags under the black expressionless eyes even more prominent, or the bent shoulders and back or even still the simplistic white shirt and baggy jeans, but whatever it was it was enough for Light to lose his train of thought, something that for Light never ever happened.

L looked up at Light and his shocked expression.

_Of course, _he thought, _typical. I doubt there will ever be someone who looks at me without complete shock and distaste. And really, my appearance shouldn’t be that surprising. He already saw me at the opening ceremony._

L rose slowly to his feet, while Light continued to gaze in shock. It was almost as if he couldn’t comprehend exactly what he was looking at. L met his gaze with equal determination but shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He wasn’t used to being looked at this long, especially by someone who was perceived as so beautiful and perfect.

“I…wow. I’m Light Yagami. I don’t think I’ve seen you before here. What’s your name?” Then to L’s complete and utter shock, Light Yagami blushed. It was a slight blush, but definitely there, tinging Yagami’s cheeks a light pink.

“My name’s L Lawliet.” L said slowly, still distracted by the faint blush. It didn’t right on his face, and it marred the perfect skin, but at the same time, it seemed to fit perfectly. “I presented with you at the opening ceremony.”

“Oh, that’s a…”

“Interesting name?” L interrupted scathingly” I know, who would ever decide to name their kid after a letter? It’s basically dooming that kid to a horrible life of taunts. Isn’t that right Yagami-kun?” And to L’s ever increasing surprise, Light blushed even deeper.

“What, no of course not. I think it’s very cool actually. It’s not every day you meet someone with a name like that and it’s certainly a lot more interesting than most of the names you hear nowadays. And I’m so sorry I forgot about the opening ceremony. I was a bit preoccupied that day and didn’t pay as much attention as I should have.”

Now it was L’s turn to stare at Light in shock. He had never met anyone before who had considered his name like this. Usually, it was some weird glance, an uncertain pronunciation and then that was it.

“Thank you very much Yagami-kun. That was very kind of you to say. I accept your apology; it was a very busy day. Now if you would excuse me, I have a class to attend and would very much hate to be late.”

“Of course.” Light, stooping down to pick up the fallen books and handing them back to L. “Also, you can call me Light, if you would prefer. I have never really preferred being called by my last name.”

“Very well Light-kun. I suppose I shall see you around campus.”

With that, L promptly walked past Light. It was a nasty habit of his to always want to have the last word, but it was one he had no intention of breaking. There was also something distinctly pleasing in leaving Light Yagami in silence.

Until he realized that he had essentially blown his chance of discovering Light’s secret. He doubted Light would ever attempt contact with L again, especially after that curt exchange. He groaned inwardly. Now all he had to look forward to was class. The day would proceed as normal and this exchange would soon fade until it was nothing more than a distant memory and a wasted chance for something more interesting.

But really, was there any hope for L to get close enough to Light to find out what he hid from everyone else. L had neglected to remember that they were at the opposite of the social spectrum and someone as popular as Light would never ever express interest in someone like L, except maybe to highlight his own perfections or laugh at mockingly

. It was a shame; Light could have been very interesting. However, it simply wasn’t plausible.

So when Light Yagami grabbed L’s arm and asked him if he would be okay with spending time after class with him, L simply did not know what to say.

After a few seconds of silence, L managed to push past his shock to answer with a yes. He immediately regretted answering. This was all probably a way for Light and his friends to embarrass him. Light didn’t immediacy strike you as someone who enjoyed teasing others, but one could never know for sure.

“Great! Do you want to meet outside of the tennis courts? They’re pretty close to here.”

“I suppose that would be fine,” L responded cautiously.

And that was how L, the insomniac with the ungainly hair and crooked stance, ended up spending the afternoon with the most popular student in the whole entire school.


	2. Chapter 2

During class, thoughts of Light had completely elapsed any conversation of the particular murder case they were currently focusing on. He had spent the whole class overanalyzing every aspect of the previous conversation and shifting nervously, enough so that one of the nameless students next to him asked if he was okay. Too caught up in his thoughts, L neglected to answer and eventually the student returned to her work.

L was a nervous mess and he couldn’t even figure out why he was such a nervous wreck. There was no logical explanation. If Light did use this as an opportunity to embarrass L, it would be nothing new. L was used to being bullied by others. His weird habits and appearance often made him the brunt of many jokes at the orphanage he had belonged to before Watari took him as his own. Honestly, it was too be expected. L would walk up to the tennis courts and in some way or manner be humiliated in front of the crowd that followed Light around. Or Light would stand L up, leaving him alone again.

But for some reason, L didn’t want that to happen. He needed it to not happen.

He desperately wanted to find Light there, waiting for him with one of those perfect smiles and eager to spend time with L.

Of course, there was only a 24% chance of that happening, but that was still better than nothing.

When the professor finally announced that class was over, L immediately jumped out of his seat and dashed to the door. He was eager yet dreadful of what he was to find at the tennis courts and the feeling was extremely peculiar to the usually stolid L.

He found himself practically running to the tennis courts and willed himself to slow down. Whatever was to happen, would happen and running would only make him look a fool. He slowed his pace considerably, briskly strolling and awash in the anxiety of ignorance.

He hated having his emotions so out of check, and it struck him as odd that he hadn’t automatically suppressed them already. Not only had he experienced the weird queasy feeling earlier, but now this too. He was not used to feeling this many emotions within the span of one day.

The tennis courts neared and L’s breath hitched up. _There he was._ Light Yagami was there, standing casually by the nets and conversing with several others. L halted. This would be a perfect time for Light to embarrass him. The crowd would act as the applauding audience and L would assume the world as the awkward freak whereas Light would be the glorious vanquisher of all those freaks, namely L.

This was becoming too much for L. He didn’t want to have to deal with all of this uncertainty. He began to turn around to return home where he could devour one of those particular delicious strawberry cheesecakes he had been saving when Light caught sight of him.

The moment Light saw him, a huge grin lit up his face making his features seem to glow. All the females around Light noticeably blushed and then quickly glanced around to see who was lucky enough to deserve Light’s glowing smile. They all froze when they spotted L, turning around to look at Light to make sure he hadn’t spotted some gorgeous model who was currently out of sight. However, the smile was clearly directed at L, especially since there was no one else in sight.

L froze. He couldn’t move. That smile surely wasn’t for him. It was too beautiful, too much like a God of times past to ever be directed at him. There was simply no way. He wouldn’t believe it.

“L!” Light called, leaving his friends to walk up to him. “I’m so glad you came by. I was a bit worried you wouldn’t.”

Light Yagami then smiled even brighter until it became a blinding display of incomparable beauty.

L couldn’t deny it. This smile was meant for him, and past the confusion of being the recipient, there was also a warm glowing feeling that L, despite all his intelligence, couldn’t explain. It felt nice, there was no denying, and there was something particularly pleasing about being smiled at like this.

Light continued to look at L expectantly as he awaited a reply.

“I was worried you wouldn’t show also. However, it appears we have both been proven wrong as given by each other’s presence.”

“Yes, it does appear so.” Light continued to look at him with that smile on his face, and L was finding it particularly distracting.

“Do you have anything in mind you would prefer to do? I’m afraid we can’t simply stand here next to each other. Perhaps Light-kun would like to run into me again?”

Light’s smile faltered a bit before recuperating and returning full strength. L swore Light could create world peace with that smile; it was just so breathtaking.

L mentally shook himself. What the hell was he thinking? Light may be beautiful but L was taking it too far. He wasn’t some silly school girl obsessing over someone’s smile (no matter how beautiful it maybe). No, he was an accomplished student with above normal intelligence and no matter how beautiful a smile maybe, it didn’t mean he couldn’t think straight.

“Well, I don’t know how good you are at tennis, but it’s my favorite sport and the tennis courts are right there. Would you like to play a game?” Light looked at L eagerly and L almost scoffed.

L was amazing at tennis. He had won completion after completion with ease. He almost felt bad accepting since Light obviously had no idea what he was getting himself into.

“Certainly. Tennis is also my favorite sport and I would be honored to play a match against you.”

“Okay, sounds good. Let me go get some rackets and balls. Just a warning, but I am _very_ good at tennis.”

“So am I, Light-kun. We will simply have to see who is best.”

“Yes. I suppose we will.”

L almost smiled. This would certainly be interesting, to say the least.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_WHACK_

L hit the ball with all the strength he had. When Light had said he was good, he had really meant it. L didn’t think he had ever played such a close match before against such an evenly skilled opponent. L eagerly waited for Light to slip up, but it didn’t appear like that would be happening anytime soon. With every bounce of the ball, the game intensified.

There was no room for mistakes.

Soon enough, a small crowd had gathered, watching the ongoing game intensely. It was amazing to see such a highly-competitive game. L and Light paid them no notice, instead focusing solely on each other.

_“Damn, he’s really good,_” L thought as he returned the ball before madly dashing to retrieve Light’s well-sent return. The game commenced, neither side gaining a definite lead on the other.

They soon fell into a routine as they lobbed the ball back and forth.

It was invigorating. They had finally found an opponent worthy for their skills, and the intense game heightened their senses and dispelled all other thoughts from their head.

For once, L wasn’t thinking about the exact minutes before he could return home. He wasn’t thinking about England, and most importantly, the boredom that had plagued his mind was completely gone.

_“I could get used to this,”_ L thought, bringing back memories of what else of Light’s he could get used to. That smile…

At that moment, L watched the ball whizz past him. “Shit” he muttered. That one second of distraction had cost him the game and now he would watch as all of Yagami’s friends gathered around him, showering him with compliments.

He prepared to turn around, but once again Light broke away from the admiring group and headed to L. Reaching L, he extended his hand which L shook quickly.

“I’ve been lacking in competition, but I have to say this was honestly one of the best games I’ve ever played. Would you ever honor me with a rematch?” Light asked sincerely.

“Yes, I must say I have never played against someone as skilled as you. A rematch would be an excellent idea. Maybe sometime later this week? However, it appears the more pressing matter is the flock behind you. They have been giving me death stares since you came over.”

Light glanced over his shoulder with barely disguised disgust. _Disgust? I thought Light adored the attention._ _Why the hell would he ever be disgusted? _

“Are you doing anything now? Would you want to get something to eat? I know this really great place that’s really close by.” Light asked, his attention returning to L.

“Well, I suppose that would be fine. I have no classes scheduled for later and in fact, was only planning on going home. However, a bite to eat would be okay.”

Light smiled brightly and L felt as if a ray of sunshine had suddenly hit him, imparting all its warmth. It astounded L that anyone should have such a flawless smile. There was definite dental work involved but at the same time it was Light who made the smile truly special. When he smiled at you, it felt like there was no one else in the world he would rather be spending time with. It made one feel special and coveted and set tendrils of warmth shivering throughout.

Light Yagami knew exactly how appealing his smile was and made sure to use it to its full extent.

“Great!” Light Yagami immediately began walking forward and L grudgingly followed. He could feel the death stares directed at his back and bent over a little bit more to make himself a smaller target. He wasn’t used to being looked at by so many at once.

However, he couldn’t help keep a small smirk off his face. Of all people, Light had decided L was worth his time. It sent a warm sensation down his spine, unconsciously, straightening it as he walked faster to catch up.

He supposed it was basic human nature, to enjoy being singled out and held in higher esteem than others. It was selfish, he admitted, and unproductive, yet he couldn’t help but enjoy it. It was a vindictive enjoyment. Despite all the expensive clothes and efforts L’s peers put into their appearance, L, who had never worn anything except his faded blue jeans and white t-shit and had put no efforts into any social occasions at all, had been chosen above the rest.

To hell with not being pleased. L would enjoy this feeling as long as he could, reveling in the simplistic pleasure of being chosen above all others by someone as popular as Light Yagami. He was going to enjoy every bloody minute of it.

With that thought in mind, L set off after Light with a confident spring in his step, reveling in all the death stares that reminded him that he was the one chosen above all the rest.


	3. Chapter 3

L Lawliet didn’t know what the hell he was doing.

Here he was, sitting in a booth across from Light Yagami who hadn’t stopped looking at him since the waitress had taken their order. The gaze was intense and piercing; it was like Light was trying to see into L’s soul.

It was starting to freak L out.

He desperately tried to think of a way to break the eye contact and was thankful when the waitress returned with their order.

L attentively added sugar cube after sugar cube to his tea, ignoring Light as he waited for him to start a conversation.

It was only after L added the sixth sugar cube that Light felt the need to speak.

“Do you really like your tea with that much sugar? Isn’t it a bit excessive?”

L pointedly added another.

“I find that sugar can increase brain functions by nearly 45% for me, and therefore it is essential for me to consume as much sugar as possible. I also have a vicious sweet tooth that demands to be satisfied. Does that answer your question Light-kun?”

“I suppose. It simply can’t be that healthy.”

L looked up at Light, tilting his head and putting on his most innocent expression.

“Is Light-kun concerned for my health? How very sweet of him.”

Light looked away quickly as red tinted his cheeks, much to L’s amusement. It was interesting seeing Light blush, even if he didn’t understand exactly why. A slight smirk appeared on L’s face.

“It doesn’t matter if I care or not, it’s still not healthy. You’re going to get diabetes or something. At least eat an apple or something.”

“Light-kun never answered my question.”

“No. I didn’t” Light muttered as he stared past L’s head as if whatever was located there demanded all his attention.

“Hmm. Well I suppose if eating an apple will appease Light-kun’s worries about my health, then I shall do so. However, I will also continue to enjoy my tea.”

“Wait, so does L-kun care about my concerns?” Light focused his gaze at L again, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

L stared at Light, refusing to speak.

“I’ll have to take that as a yes then. That’s very considerate of you,” Light leaned forward slightly, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand.

“Why are you doing this?” L asked suddenly. Light leaned back and his brow crinkled in confusion.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Doing what?”

“This,” L answered, placing his thumb on his lips in a curious expression “Playing tennis with me. Taking me out to a café. Leaving your friends behind to spend time with me. It doesn’t make sense why you would suddenly wish to spend time with me. I would like you to explain. If it is a joke, I understand. However, I would like you to end it before it is taken too far.”

Light stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. L stared coolly back, refusing to break eye contact first.

“You think this a joke? Why?” Light asked, sounding slightly shocked.

“I have been the brunt of many jokes before, Light-kun, as I am not one who fits society’s idea of acceptable. You, on the other hand, fit all of society’s ideals and are very popular. Furthermore, it is not usual for two with such different social standings to converse and spend time with each other. This is why I am wary.”

“So you believe that I am luring you by pretending to be friendly in order to embarrass you in some way in the future. That this is simply an act that I have cruelly designed,”

“Yes.” L muttered. He rubbed his toes together anxiously. Here was the part that Light would burst out laughing and all his friends would come in a join him and then they would leave a mortified L alone in the café. He looked down at his coffee, expecting the worst.

“Despite all your intelligence, you got this one wrong.” L glanced up at Light who was smiling softly. Another beautiful smile to adorn Light’s face. This one spoke of warmth and comfort and reminded L of a room warmed by a raging fire.

“Wrong?” L muttered softly, still staring at Light’s smile. He forced himself to move his gaze upward to meet Light’s eyes.

“Yes. Very wrong. I can understand where you’re coming from and I’m very sorry I didn’t clear your worries earlier. The true reason I decided I wanted to spend time with you is because you seem very interesting, much more interesting then all of the people you consider my friends. You confirmed my idea L. You are very interesting and I would love to get to know you better. I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while; I just haven’t been able to work up the nerve. Would it be okay if we were friends?”

A thousand thoughts were running through L’s head. _Light Yagami wished to be friends? He finds me interesting? _This whole situation was prosperous. It was illogical. He could understand why Light would be bored by his friend’s tedious conversations and mundane topics, but he didn’t understand why Light would pick him to become friends with. Sure he may be intelligent, but he was also unappealing in his appearance and habits. It would have no benefit for Light at all.

To be friends? If he said no, then that would be it. He would most likely never interact with Light Yagami again and would continue to live his life normally and without interruptions.

Of course that would mean he would continue to be bored.

If he said yes, he would have to get involved with Light. He would have to spend time with him and talk. While he admitted he had rather enjoyed the last couple of hours spent with Light, he didn’t think he was socially capable of maintaining it. Eventually, he would embarrass himself or cease to be interesting and Light Yagami would grow bored and return to his other friends.

He would also have to deal with the jealous peers who wished to take Light as their own.

And he still wasn’t certain that this wasn’t a joke.

L thought a little while longer before he finally decided.

“Very well, Light-kun. I shall be your friend.” L looked closely at Light, monitoring his expressions. “However, there is one condition.”

Looking relieved, Light smiled at L. “Of course, anything.”

“I wish for you to tell me what you are hiding.” L watched as Light’s expression instantly became guarded and controlled. It was almost as if he was a completely different person to the one who had been smiling like there was no tomorrow.

“I’m not hiding anything L-kun.”

“Everyone is hiding something Light-kun. People always have secrets. And I want you to tell me yours.”

“Well I don’t think that’s very fair.” L looked at Light quizzically.

“Fair?”

“So I have to tell you my deepest, darkest secret, and you don’t have to tell me anything. I believe if you wish for my secret, then you must trade it for one of your own.”

“A secret for a secret?” L leaned forward attentively. Light certainly knew how to play a game.

“Yes. As is fair.”

L paused a moment as if considering the offer. “Very well. You first.”

Light leaned forward until their faces were only a few inches apart. Without breaking eye contact, Light whispered, “I think college is absolutely useless. It is a time for people to talk about how much they will accomplish but in 10 years all they’ll be working some boring dead-end job. Therefore, I hate almost all of the students I have to pretend to like. I honestly can’t wait for it to end so I can actually do something useful.”

L looked at Light, pouting slightly. “That’s not your darkest secret Light-kun.”

“No, it is not. However, we only agreed on a secret for a secret. You never specified exactly what kind of secret it had to be. Now you have to tell me one, or do you forfeit the game?”

“I do not forfeit anything.” L tilted his head in thought “I suppose my secret must be that my guardian has sent me to Japan from England in order for me to establish social connections and grow independent of his help. I have never exactly had a friend before.” Light tilted his head, replicating L’s position.

“I assume that’s not your darkest secret either?”

“No. Of course not. When you tell me yours, I shall tell you mine. Until that time, we shall continue to trade others.” Light smirked and a glint appeared in his eyes.

“Then we will have to continue to trade these secrets then. Would you like to go first this time?”

“Certainly Light-kun.” He opened his mouth ready to divulge Light with another secret of his. However, at that moment Light’s cellphone went off. L jumped, slightly surprised at the sudden noise. Light remained still with his gaze still locked on L’s. After a couple seconds of the intense eye contact, Light finally broke the gaze and moved to reach for his phone. He tiredly glanced at and sighed when he saw the number.

“Sorry, I’m going to have to take this” Light answered the phone and with a bored look on his face exchanged a few short remarks. L busied himself by stacking multiple sugar cubes. “Sorry L. I’m going to have to go. Are you doing anything tomorrow? Maybe we can meet up again. I would like to hear another secret.”

“I only have a class in the morning, but that should be it. Would you like to meet outside the tennis courts again at 3:00?”

“Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll see you then.” Today was really great, by the way.” Light grabbed his jacket and stood up.

“Yes.” L answered curtly. “It was very nice to finally get to meet with you.”

“It was.” Light flashed him one more breathtaking smile before he turned around and left the café. Once outside, Light pulled out his phone again and angrily dialed a few numbers.

He waited impatiently for the call to be picked up. It was only before the final ring, did a voice finally answer.

“Yes?” answered the droll voice.

“Is it really necessary for me to come in now? I was in the middle of something. Couldn’t you have waited?” Light hissed, irritation creeping into his voice.

“Was Light-kun busy being Kira? Is that why he is so angry I told him to come to the hotel?”

“No. First, I’m not Kira, no matter how much you may wish for it to be true. Secondly, I was talking to someone who I had been wanting to talk to for a while.”

“I shall be the one to prove that you are not Kira, so your claims mean nothing. Also, justice does not wait for anyone. Your conversation is frivolous compared to our more pressing matters. I would have hoped you would have realized this. However, what matters is that you are almost at the hotel. We have an interesting breakthrough with the case; one that I hope to hear thoughts about. How much longer will you be?”

“I’m about 10 minutes away okay? I-.”

Light was cut short by the line on the end clicking off. He groaned angrily.

It was beneficial to keep close tabs on one of the most powerful persons in the world. Light could easily use him to further their gains, and by close observation he was beginning to learn the secrets behind the person and their methods. However, the person was still mainly a mystery and obnoxious as hell. The habits of the person drove Light to the brink of insanity. Sometimes, he found himself pondering about the best ways to kill such a person. He had come up with quite a lengthy list.

Unfortunately, he had to keep this list a complete secret from all, especially considering how he was the main suspect in one of the most vicious murder sprees of the century. Displaying violent and murderous tendencies would not help further his innocence, instead damning him to even more guilt.

Light startled as a car close to him honked loudly at some pedestrians who were taking too long to cross the street. Light sighed, wrapping his arms around him. There was a chill in the air and while it was still only September, the first signs of fall were showing. He particularly liked fall and its tragic beauty as the once green leaves curled up in flames of red and yellow, drifting to the ground in slow graceful circles.

It also marked the beginning of winter; the time when even the most life-infused creatures couldn’t ward of the cold and death that winter always brought.


	4. Chapter 4

After Light had left unexpectedly, L continued to sit in the café. He sipped his sugary tea pensively as he contemplated the previous events of the day.

Yesterday, he had been a complete loner, friendless since he could remember. He avoided all social interaction and spent most of his time in his room consuming sugary treat after sugary treat while honing his detective skills. He was unattached and emotionless so he could ensure his objectivity and logicalness. He wasn’t necessarily happy, but he wasn’t sad or upset. Instead, he simply took life as it was, using his astounding intelligence to excel in any chosen activity. Life for him continued as usual.

Except now, Light Yagami had thrown his regularity into chaos. In one day, he had engaged in more social conduct than he has in the last couple of months and has found someone truly interesting.

And that said person had wished to become a friend, and L had agreed. It would probably be a decision he would regret later, yet at that time it was the most natural response he could design. There was a feeling of contentment spurred by this sudden kinsman ship, and he couldn’t argue that he had despised the interaction.

He had also experienced more emotions in the span of one day then he had for a long time and it left him feeling drained. He plucked a sugar cube from the container and gingerly put it in his mouth, reveling as the sugar cube melted on his tongue with its familiar stickiness.

Most interesting of all was the game of secrets Light had trapped him into playing. He understood where Light was coming from, but he hadn’t expected him to make it into a game. It would be fascinating to see where Light was going with it and L felt a sense of thrill as his mind devised of ways for Light to share more personal secrets. Of course, he had no intention of telling Light any of his truly personal secrets or letting him get too close to him. Light would only be an interesting distraction until L could begin his career as a detective: a way to alleviate persistent boredom.

L placed another sugar cube in his mouth and finished off his sugared down tea. He uncurled his body from his peculiar sitting position and shoved his hands into his pockets, skulking as he exited the café. Light had paid for the meal, leaving a generous tip for the blushing waitress. The interaction had caused a twist in L’ stomach, one that he had disregarded instantly. He would dwell on it later if necessary.

L shivered slightly against eth chilly air; a sure sign of the impending winter. He walked quickly towards his apartment, eagerly awaiting the cheesecake waiting in his fridge. He would most likely ponder on this all night, mulling it over in his mind. Light Yagami was a temptation, and L had to decide how exactly to win this game.

And win he would.

* * *

“That will be 840 yen.” The bored cashier stated blandly. Light handed over the money and, in return, was handed two ice cream cones. He had decided to take L out for ice cream since it was an unusually warm day. Apparently, it would be the last truly warm day before winter would set in. He also knew L had a captivation with anything distinctly sweet. Essentially the sweeter the better, which Light didn’t understand. It was just so unhealthy; However, L enjoyed it, and Light could bare through one scoop of ice cream for the sake of that reason.

He walked over to the bench where L sat in his peculiar perch. He kept the one ice cream cone that was the simple scoop of vanilla and handed the towering chocolate ice cream topped with multiple cherries, sprinkles, and syrup to the eager L. He eagerly grasped the ice cream cone and brought it to his mouth, licking away a layer of sprinkles. Light watched him in amazement as he quickly devoured through half of the monstrosity. L stopped halfway through one lick as he grew aware of Light’s attention.

“What is it?” he mumbled into the ice cream, looking up at Light through his unruly hair.

“Why do you sit like that?” Light asked, gesturing towards L.

“Hmm? Oh, I’ve found that sitting in this position increases my deductive skills by forty percent.” L responded briefly.

“It looks uncomfortable.” Light continued.

“You might find that it is not as nearly uncomfortable as you think if you gave it a try.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“That’s too bad.” L said, taking another long lick of his ice cream cone. “It would help improve your cognitive abilities.”

Light paused, considering L’s words. “I can ensure you my cognitive abilities are perfectly fine. Your weird position isn’t going to change anything.”

“How can you be sure if you’ve never tried it?” asked L innocently, his eyes wide and his mouth glued to the ice cream.

“I’m not doing it.” Light stated. L continued to stare openly at him, his expression expressing slight betrayal and disappointment. “No.” Light restated, determined not to succumb to L’s insistent gaze.

“Light-kun…” L uttered softly. Light looked away from L’s eyes, searching for some distraction. When he found none, he grudgingly returned his gaze to L’s black eyes. ‘Light-kun…” L murmured again, his voice traveling over the sickly sweet treat. Light could feel his resolve crumbling.

“Fine.” He muttered angrily. He knew he was going to look like a fool, but for some reason he couldn’t ignore L’s desire to embarrass him. He reluctantly pulled up his knees and rose on his feet, replicating L’s stance. He remained like that for a second, crouched in that awkward position that was actually helping? Why did his mind feel clearer all of a sudden? It was like some fog had been dispensed from his mind by pulling himself into this stance. L couldn’t be right though. It must only be his superior intellect adjusting to the unfamiliar position. L watched him in amusement. Caught up in his puzzlement, Light began to lose balance and tipped, reaching forward with a hand to steady himself. Unfortunately, that particular hand was the one holding the ice cream cone, and he found his hand coated in the cold sticky material. He rocked backward in disgust and lost his balance even more until he was splayed out on the bench. He held his ice cream coated hand in absolute disgust as L watched bemused.

“Gah!” Light cried, shaking his hand as if to dislodge the sticky mess. “Get me a napkin L!”

L decided it would be much more amusing to watch Light struggle then retrieve a napkin. It really was a shame to waste such good ice cream. He knew Light wasn’t going to eat the ice cream, especially since he was such a health freak, so he was planning on devouring the cone once he was finished with his. There was still a way he could enjoy the treat, however…

“What the hell are you doing?” Light exclaimed, as L grabbed his hand delicately in his own and brought it to his lips as if to lick the ice cream mess. Light tried to jerk his hand back, but L held on strongly.

“It would be a shame to waste such good ice cream, Light-kun.” L answered innocuously.

“What no, I’m not letting you…” Light watched in horror as L began to open his mouth.

“Not let me do what?” L asked. He really wanted that ice cream. Vanilla was a perfect combination with chocolate and would probably taste delicious. He glanced up at Light and paused when he saw a heated blush cross his face. “Light-kun is embarrassed.” L stated blatantly.

“I’m not embarrassed.” Light denied.

“Then why is Light-kun blushing?”

“Because…because you’re going to lick ice cream off my hand!” Light exclaimed, attempting and failing once again to remove his hand from L’s grasp.

“Is that a problem?”

“Yeah. A bit.”

“But it would be a shame to waste such good ice cream.” L replied.

“It’s gross.” Light voiced weakly. L’s lips were so close to his fingertips and it was distracting him by obscene amounts. What the hell was L thinking?

“But then your hand would be clean of ice cream. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Not like that.” Light shook his hand in order to emphasize his point. L brow scrunched up as he began to comprehend Light's reason for the apprehension.

“Oh. You don’t want me to do this because it is similar to a sexual act. I can ensure you that this has no sexual implication. I only wished to have the ice cream. I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable.” L released Light’s hand and observed as Light’s blush deepened even further.

“It’s fine L. You’re forgiven.” Light looked down in embarrassment,

“I will retrieve Light-kun some napkins.” L declared, moving from his crouch and walking towards the ice cream booth. He returned shortly and handed several napkins to Light. Light grabbed them desperately and frantically scrubbed the ice cream from his hands. When he decided his hands were properly clean, he dropped the used napkins in the trash. The moment stood embarrassed and awkward, neither male knowing exactly what to say.

“Again, I apologize for causing your discomfort. It was not my intention.” L apologized again, hoping to ease Light’s embarrassment. Light still avoided L’s gaze.

“I know that L. And it’s okay. I overreacted a bit too.” The silence stretched on, and L struggled to find a way to break the silence.

“Would you like to go to a movie?” L blurted out suddenly. Light looked up at him, a small smile lighting his face.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Light replied. This time it was L’s turn to blush.

“No, Light-kun. There’s just a movie playing that I thought you would enjoy. We do not have to go if you do not want to. I’m sorry for asking.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go see a movie with you if you want.” Light noted L’s blush.

“It’s not a date Light-kun.” L clarified. Light regarded him for a moment and a faint longing entered his eyes. It was so faint L immediately disregarded it. He felt the need to clarify his intentions after that particular scene.

“I never said it was. What’s the movie about?”

“It’s a mystery. It involves an impersonator seeking the original. Apparently it is very good.” L said, glad that he could feel the tension dissipating.

“Sounds good L. I’m pretty sure the movie theater is over that way.” Light responded, pointing to a set of buildings. He set off in the direction and L followed. They walked next to each other in silence for a while, but this time the silence was comfortable.

“I think I get another secret L.” Light articulated quietly. His voice blended in with the chirps of the birds who were singing through the patch of trees they were currently walking through.

L considered the request for a second. “Very well. My childhood hero was Sherlock Holmes. I read every single story Doyle ever wrote multiple times.”

“Isn’t Sherlock Holmes eventually killed by his arch-nemesis?” Light inquired.

“Yes. But he takes Moriarty down with him. And afterward, he returns through a set of other stories. He always won Light-kun.”

“I suppose he did, in the end. I can see that for you. Reading Sherlock Holmes through your childhood. Did you ever solve any of the crimes before he did?”

“Yes many times. One could say it was elementary.” L grinned. “Now your turn.” He demanded.

“My favorite book when I was young was _The Picture of Dorian Grey_. I read it over and over again.” Light offered.

“That’s a very serious book for someone so young. What was Light-kun’s fascination with such a dark novel?” L asked.

“It was beautifully written, and there was just something about it….” Light trailed off. He had read _The Picture of Dorian Grey _when he was seven, and he had been captivated by the classic. The words flowed together in lyrical beauty, exposing the inner workings of man and the nature of sin. He had been so captivated by the novel that he reread it several times, which surprised him. He didn’t put much stock in literary works as they were only composed of fantasy and dreams. Light preferred to deal in reality, and the only book he would ever need sat currently in his desk.

“Does Light-kun wish for his sins to be concealed in the paint of a canvas?” L asked. His teachers at the orphanage had required the class to read the novel in seventh grade, and L still retained some of the key themes and facts. He remembered enjoying the language, but being disgusted by the antics of Dorian Grey. He also recalled the painter, who at the time had likened himself too. L would be the one to paint the portrait to reveal the sin and crime of a person, but the similarities ceased there for there was no way L would fall so completely in love with the object of his work.

“Wouldn’t you want to stay eternally young and beautiful?” Light responded after a few seconds of silence. L considered the question briefly.

“No, I do not think so. Aging is an essential part of growth.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind.” Light replied. He was blessed with exceptional beauty, and it was not something he would give up easily.

“Does Light-kun remember the conclusion of the novel? Hiding one’s sins is destructive.” L asked.

“Is that why you want to be a detective? So you can reveal the darkness in everyone’s soul?” Light accused.

“It is part of the reason Light-kun. Perhaps one day you will reveal to me your portrait, and I can truly judge your soul.” L responded.

“When Dorian Grey did that, he committed an act of murder against the beholder.”

“Perhaps that is unavoidable. Truth maddens and shame drives acts of viciousness”

“So do you still wish to view my portrait, despite the knowledge it may cause your death?” Light asked quietly. L looked at him, but Light evaded his gaze. The only sound breaking the silence was the occasional passerby who spoke in loud jovial tones. L took a long time to answer but eventually broke the silence.

“There is nothing more beautiful or destructive then truth, so I will risk my demise if only to truly understand one’s soul.” L replied carefully. The silence surrounded them again as they walked slowly next to each other. They approached the movie theater, and they sensed that particular string of conversation coming to a close. They advanced onto the ticket booth and purchased two tickets for the movie. As they entered the movie theater, cold air gushed around them, and they sat on the two seats in the far back. The theater was mostly empty as the movie had been playing for several weeks, but still, a few stragglers lounged in their seats in anticipation. Just before the sound set in and essentially eliminated any chance of conversation, Light looked over at L who sat in his perch.

“I wouldn’t risk it.” he whispered softly, before turning back to the screen. L immediately redirected his attention towards Light, considering his words. He opened his mouth to respond, but the room was immersed in the loud intro music and even if he said something, Light wouldn’t be able to hear. He watched Light for a minute longer, before redirecting his attention towards the screen. The movie commenced, but L paid no attention to the plot as he lost himself in his thoughts.

If Light-kun wouldn’t risk his well-being to discover the ultimate all-revealing truth, then what exactly would he be willing to jeopardize his life? L decided he would discover the answer to that question. He wanted to know every inch of Light’s soul, but most importantly the parts that thrived in the dark and were hidden from the world. It startled him at the scope of his desire, but he contributed it to his ever-present desire for knowledge and veracity.

For in the end, when all the lies and falsehoods have been scraped away, what would be left except for the harsh unyielding truth?

L couldn’t forget that even though light illuminated, it could just as quickly blind. And once one lost their vision, they would be lost in a world of darkness and shadows always ironically searching for the cruel light that simultaneously robbed and clarified until the clear blurred and the opaque dissipated.

Furthermore, L should not neglect to remember that Lucifer, the most beloved of God’s angels who was cast out of heaven into the darkest pits of hell, used to be the angel of light and the morning star which illuminated the horizon in its fiery glory, casting out the oppressive darkness before spiraling into the fiery pits of hell.


	5. Chapter 5

Two weeks had passed since that fateful run-in with each other. Every day, L and Light found themselves spending as much time as possible with each other. When they didn’t have class, they would meet up someplace and then spend hours upon hours talking to each other. Their conversations ranged from all sources of material, but they were always stimulating. They took pleasure in challenging each other to form more and more intelligent thoughts, pushing their conversations to new extremes. L couldn’t remember ever being happier.

For a long time, L had always been alone, yet with the introduction of Light Yagami into his life he had found someone he could call a friend. He now understood how valuable human interaction could be in a more emotional and intimate way, instead of just passing along basic orders and theories.

The only thing that worried him was how quickly their relationship had progressed. At first, L had only felt slight annoyance to the boy, but now in the course of two weeks, L regarded the boy as his equal, something that he never thought he would ever be able to do to anyone.

Their relationship had become increasingly complex, which wasn’t much of a surprise considering how intelligent they both were. It would be more shocking if their relationship had remained shallow and simple. The relationship had also become deeply personal. With the game of secrets they had both decided to play, they already knew much about each other. A dangerous amount. But with every secret, a feeling of trust strengthened between them. L was increasingly trusting Light with bigger secrets, yet it didn’t frighten him as much as he thought it would. Because as his secrets grew more personal, so did Light’s and once they revealed their darkest secrets, something that was unavoidable, they would possess the power to destroy one another. It was thrilling.

But it wasn’t only that. L would catch Light staring at him sometimes for long periods of time. One afternoon, L mentioned that Light had been staring at him for the past 5 minutes, and a wicked blush spread over Light’s face. It sent warm feelings through L, but he still wasn’t entirely sure what his feelings were for Light. They were more than he had felt with anyone else, except that wasn’t saying much considering L’s past. However, he wasn’t sure how far he wished for this relationship to go. He had never felt sexual urges before, yet it was undeniable that Light was extremely beautiful. Also, he didn’t know how Light felt and it was too much of a risk for him to take so early on. If his feelings did morph into something more romantic, then he supposed he would take several actions upon those feelings. Until that day, he was still content with simply being friends.

That didn’t stop him from noticing that Light’s gaze would sometimes linger on his lips or that Light would always sit close to him or the breathtaking smiles or the deep blushes…

Today, L and Light were currently situated on a bench in the middle of a park. It was a secluded spot and very peaceful, and it was not hard imaging Light spending time here. L was uncertain why Light had decided to bring him here, but he decided he didn’t mind. There was something nice about being alone with someone else, especially since there was no angry mob of possessive Light Yagami fans to glare at L.

“Tell me a secret,” L ordered. Light Yagami laughed 

“Impatient are we? And anyway if I remember correctly, it’s your turn to go first.” Light looked at L, waiting for a response. L huffed.

“Fine.”

“Sounds good.” Light responded, stretching up into the sunlight. He shut in his eyes as he basked in the warmth of the sunlight. A small smile crossed his face and he exuded feelings of contentment and peace. L was tempted to get a camera to capture the moment. There was an otherworldly beauty in this scene as the light accentuated and amplified Light’s beauty. L gazed unabashedly at the sight. It was only when Light opened his eyes slightly to glance at L, did he look quickly away, a heat filling his face.

“My secret,” L said quickly, refusing to look back at Light, “is that I live off sugar.”

Light let out a quick laugh, “Really? I would never have guessed.”

L looked back at Light affronted. “Coffee tastes absolutely dreadful without the right amount of sugar.”

“But isn’t 10 sugar cubes a tad bit excessive?”

“For your simple tastes, it may be.” Another laugh broke through Light’s lips, and L couldn’t help but feel proud of his ability to make Light laugh so easily. It was fun talking to him, especially since Light appreciated his wit. On the other hand, Light’s laughter and smiles may all be faked – Light could easily pretend to be interested in L as he had been doing with all the other school mates. However, there was a sense of sincerity that L was picking up on and Light truly did appear to enjoy their conversations. Additionally, Light was the one who asked L out, not the other way around.

“Since our secrets appear to be food themed this time around, I must admit I adore apples.” A quick flash of an emotion L couldn’t identify passed through Lights' eyes. The closest L could get it was that it was a mix of relief and…gloat. Light was gloating over the fact that he was telling L this, but having a taste for apples didn’t seem like something one would gloat over. Many people enjoyed apples and they were a common archetype throughout all types of literature.

Apples symbolized knowledge and sin. Paired together these vastly different ideas worked perfectly. Sin was achievable by all, no matter their level of intelligence. However, if one threw knowledge into the mix, suddenly sin became extremely dangerous. L had noticed this correlation from a young age. A criminal was bad enough, but add intelligence and knowledge into the mix and you were dealing with someone incredibly dangerous.

Was saying that he liked apples a way to remind L that knowledge and sin often went hand in hand? L was probably reading way into this. Perhaps, Light simply enjoyed apples the way L enjoyed sweets. However, instinct was telling L that there much more to that secret then Light had said.

L had learned a long time ago to trust his instinct.

“Hmm… is Light-kun aware that apples tend to symbolize knowledge and sin?” A look of calculation crossed over Light’s face briefly before he shot back a comment.

“Yes. But is L aware that sugar often symbolizes gluttony and diabetes?”

“I am not going to get diabetes Light-kun if that was your implication. I am also very hard working so your assumptions have been proven incorrect. I cannot say the same for you.”

“Maybe I just really like apples L? Ever consider that?”

“Yes, I did briefly. However, considering Light’s intelligence level and the fact that an apple usually carries many double-meanings throughout history and religion, I decided that Light-kun would not simply say he enjoys apples for such a simplistic reason.”

Light looked at L for a long while, his expression unreadable. L shifted uncomfortably, worried that he had gone too far. That was his problem with his intelligence – he didn’t know what situations to apply it too. Maybe Light really did like apples? L swallowed nervously, and a sense of dread settled on him. He didn’t want to lose his only friend so soon. He was bothered by how much he cared about something in the long term would be meaningless, yet he really didn’t want to lose Light. There were still so many things they could talk about and so many games they could play against each other.

L was so lost in his thoughts and conflicting emotions that he didn’t notice Light lunge at him until it was too late.

Suddenly a warm set of lips pressed against his. L jerked back in shock at the sudden intrusion, but Light continued to press into him. He brought one hand up to L’s hair, twisting his fingers in the surprisingly soft locks. The other hand he looped around L’s back, pulling him closer until they were pressed tightly together. L gasped against Light and Light took advantage of the moment to enter L’s mouth with his tongue, exploring the soft warm wetness that tasted unsurprisingly like a mix of sugar and strawberries. Light continued to kiss L softly, reveling the feel of the other boy.

L was frozen in shock. One thought repeatedly flashed through his mind.

_Light Yagami was kissing him._

_Light Yagami was kissing him._

_LIGHT YAGAMI WAS …. And he’s really good at it._

L had never put much thought into his sexuality before. He didn’t necessarily believe in labeling himself with terms and phrases that defined exactly who he liked. It had been apparent to him from a young age that he didn’t want to kiss girls. He just assumed he didn’t want to kiss anyone, no matter their gender.

But here he was, being kissed senseless by another boy and finding that he truly and deeply enjoyed it. It didn’t send butterflies all through his stomach and it certainly didn’t feel like he was melting which was how kissing was usually described in romantic works. No, instead it felt…nice. He could feel himself leaning into the warmth of the kiss and the heat of Light and gasped in surprise when Light tangled his hand in his hair and placed another around his back, closing the rest of the space between them. Then Light had to go and sneak his tongue into L’s mouth, sending a dizzying and worrying amount of sensations coursing through L. The feeling of Light’s tongue exploring his mouth sparked something inside of him, setting him back into motion. He subconsciously found his hands curling around Light’s neck, further deepening the kiss. Light responded to L’s movements by increasing the fervor of the kiss and L found it nearly impossible to think about anything other than the boy he was currently wrapped in. Waves of heat passed through L, surprising himself. He had thought himself incapable of such sensations, but now here he was and all he wanted was more.

After what an impossibly short amount of time, Light pulled back from L, separating their lips. He left his hands entangled on L, bringing one hand to cup his face. L continued to leave his hands looped around Light’s neck but shifted them uncomfortably, uncertain what to do with them now that the kiss had ended. He had left his eyes open during the kiss, partly due to shock and was now gazing deeply into Light’s own. They were a beautiful shade of amber that seemed to absorb the sunlight in such a way that they glowed ever so slightly.

At this proximity, Light Yagami looked even more beautiful than L had thought possible with the way his hair cascaded perfectly, framing his slightly flushed face, and his lips that were so swollen and so very kissable.

L found himself leaning in again to initiate another kiss, and was surprised by his nerve. Sure, Light Yagami may be startlingly gorgeous and highly intelligent, but that didn’t explain why L had within the span of two weeks had gone from slight annoyance to wishful need. The kiss had seemed to spark a desperate want inside of L, bringing forth surprisingly complex feelings for Light. He was slightly annoyed at how quickly he had fallen for Light, yet even more astonishing was how quickly Light had fallen for L. The beautiful, perfect teenager had kissed the ungainly, unideal person, and now their relationship appeared to be morphing as they both took in the implications of such a daring move.

The game they were playing had suddenly become a lot more dangerous.

The second kiss, in L’s mind, was even better than the first. He was the one who was in charge as he nibbled on Light’s bottom lip, reveling in the shudders and gasps the other boy emitted. He deepened the kiss, pulling tightly on Light’s neck, and was shocked by the loud moan that came from the other boy. To L, it was absolutely exhilarating. However, before he could slip his tongue into Light’s mouth, the other boy pulled back suddenly. He leaned over and covered his face with his hands, mussing his usually perfect hair. L could hear him struggling to control his rapid breathing. L looked on worriedly at him, uncertain of what to do. He was under the assumption that the kiss had been of mutual like – certainly not something Light would draw away from, especially since he was the one who had initiated it. Maybe L had stepped too far by trying to be in charge?

“I’m sorry if my actions have made you uncomfortable, Light-kun. I was simply responding to your advances, and I apologize if I went too far.”

Light let out a mirthless laugh and L looked on concerned. Light was exhibiting an unusually strong reaction, and it was worrying L greatly.

“You don’t need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. It’s just…”

“Just what Light-kun?” Light looked up at L, and L was shocked by the fact that Light’s eyes were red ringed… almost as if he trying to keep himself from crying.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry I put this on you, especially so early on. I can understand if you don’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

L cocked his head slightly as the distraught boy. “Whatever gave Light-kun the impression that I wouldn’t want to be friends with you anymore?”

“Well, I kissed you. And it’s only been two weeks since we’ve started talking, and I’ve never done this type of thing before since I usually despise any physical contact with anymore, except not with you and I don’t know why I’ve been so caught up with you and why you make me act so reckless, and here I am, ranting to you, something I can’t ever remember doing to anyone, and I don’t know why you of all people have such a large influence on me, and I don’t know what to do about it, which frightens me because I always know what to do, but it’s not only that because things have gotten pretty bad elsewhere, and I really just need someone I can talk to and trust except I can’t trust anyone, but you’re always so honest about everything, and I can’t believe I’m telling this to you like this, and I just need a break…” Light looked completely undone. His hair was a mess, his cheeks red, and his hands wringing about. He looked so upset and passionate after that long speech, something that was so out of character for him, that L, who was so uncertain in these social situations (especially since Light Yagami had just bared his heart and let go of his perfectly structured speech) leaned in to kiss Light again (a soft kiss this time) so that he could comfort Light, or at least try to.

He could feel Light shuddering under the light pressure of the third kiss, and L brought his hands up to gently cup Light’s face. Light trembled under the soft touches, and his whole body leaned into L’s warmth. L could feel wetness on Light’s face but decided to make no comment on it. Light did not seem like someone who displayed weakness easily and the fact that he trusted L enough to show him this side of himself was enough.

* * *

Light’s façade was crumbling, and with it, a part of himself he kept hidden from everyone was surfacing. This part saw the beauty of the world and didn’t feel the need to punish all evildoers. This part was content with being held and comforted softly by someone whose dark eyes always seemed to reflect the truth. This part didn’t hide from the truth by surrounding itself with increasingly intricate lies. However, this kinder part had been forced down by another darker part obsessed with “justice”. L was the only one who could let that part out and it frightened Light to no extent.

He was so used to being in control of everything, no he needed to be in control of everything, but with L suddenly that desire vanished, replaced by a wish to simply spend time with L. He had tried to deny that urge and avoid L. He poured all his time into creating a perfect world, which was still completely essential to do, but he also wanted to spend time with L and he didn’t know which wish was more powerful.

He despised how L made him feel, how he felt like he could tell L anything and trust him with it. He hated how L was so honest and blunt all the time because he had only ever surrounded himself with lies and liars. He hated how L was intelligent. He hated L’s appearance and quirks. At least, he tried to convince himself that.

But that weak pretense completely disappeared, when L accused him of knowledge and sin. Finally, there was someone who understood everything Light was dealing with. He had told him he liked apples out of spite for the endless accusations, but that fact that L picked up on the double meaning was no less than extraordinary. At that moment, Light was overwhelmed with a feeling he had never experienced and seeing L sitting there with such an innocent expression adorning his face, he leaned forward and kissed him.

He didn’t expect any response, but not only did L kiss him back, L then kissed him and dominated the kiss. It was so unexpected in Light’s mind, and even though he had entertained the situation, he had never imagined it would actually occur.

On the second kiss, Light felt something break open inside of him and he was overwhelmed with a surge of powerful emotions that he had left locked away for so long. The intensity frightened him. He had suppressed all emotions for so long, that he had thought he would never feel ever again. The only thing that brought him pleasure was the feeling of winning, but even that was dulling with time. Life didn’t challenge him anymore.

When he found the Death Note on that fateful day, he finally had a means to an end. The world was overflowing with corruption and evil, and no one was doing a single thing about it. Light couldn’t watch the world rot anymore, and so he took it upon himself to create a new and perfect world free of crimes and sins. There was the opposition of course, but eventually, he would overcome all those who opposed and finally create a world shining with light. He had planned it so exactly, that there was a very low percentage of failure. Already, he was close to defeating his main opposition: a meddling detective who thought he was better and purer than everyone around them due to his superior sense of morals. When he was out of the picture, Light would reign supreme and the ugly and cruel would be expelled from the world. His supports had dubbed him Kira and worshipped him.

Light enjoyed all of the attention and strategy involved, however, it was becoming too easy. What he desperately wanted to be someone to share it all with. He had always been secretive and revealing this particular secret would be very dangerous. He had to decide if it was worth the risk. Originally, he wasn’t planning on telling anyone. First off, there was no one he could tell. His family and so called friends were nowhere near close enough to rule alongside him. He needed someone whose intelligence matched his own. Secondly, he had become a suspect. The world’s greatest detective deemed him suspicious and had been making the necessary moves to catch Light as Kira. It was never going to happen as Light had too much of an advantage. As the detective grew closer to Light, the situation became more dangerous. But Light had already designed a plan to get rid of the detective; it was only a matter of time before he could set his plan into motion. Things were going excellent for Light, yet he still had no one he could brag to or even share ideas.

That was, however, before he had run into L. From the two weeks of meetings, Light could tell L was truly something special. He also happened to fit all the criteria that Light was searching for in a partner. Light would happily make L the queen to his king.

Light hadn’t planned on any feelings developing. However, he couldn’t seem to keep himself from gazing at L and blushing any time L didn’t something particularly adorable. It was demeaning and immature as he should be above such human desires.

He couldn’t deny that he wanted L. Not only as a partner but also as a friend and even possibly a lover. It angered him at the lack of control over his emotions, yet he didn’t want to leave L for anything. He was also angry for the breakdown he had in front of L. Light Yagami never lost control of his emotions like that. Ever. He couldn’t remember the last time he had cried, yet here he was, being held softly by L as tears streaked down his face. L didn’t make any comment on it, for which Light was grateful. He despised appearing weak.

Light felt safe around L. He felt like he could trust L. He felt like he didn’t have to lie to him, nor did he even want to. He wanted to be honest and truthful to L. He wanted L too see him as he really was and get rid of all pretenses.

“L…” Light whispered against L’s lips. He felt the other man shudder slightly.

“Yes, Light-kun?”

“I want to tell you my darkest secret now.” L shifted slightly. He was silent for a moment.

“If you wish, Light-kun.”

Light hesitated. If he was to tell L there really would be no turning back for either of them. L would either join Light or help him against all the forces that opposed him, or Light would have to figure out a way to ensure that L would never tell anyone. He couldn’t risk L telling anyone else. He would also be dragging L into a game he may not wish to play. Light didn’t want to force this upon L. However, the apprehension didn’t prevent the confession from slipping through his lips.

“L, I am Kira.”


	6. Chapter 6

L froze in shock. Of all the things he expected Light to say this was not it. Never would he have thought that Light himself was Kira. The same exact Kira who was extracting his weird sense of justice on the world by killing as many criminals as he could. But no, Light confessed he was Kira.

What the hell was L going to do with that information? He didn’t expect Light would tell him that and then leave him free to do as he wished. No – that was too risky. If Light was Kira and unafraid of killing all those that stood against him, L’s life was at risk. Light could kill him whenever he pleased, but L didn’t believe Light would take such action without good reason. That meant that L could never tell anyone that Light was Kira, without risking his whole life.

Also, did L really want to turn Light in? He had never given much thought towards Kira, himself. Personally, L believed in a much more standard way of justice, as it should never be up to one person to judge another on the matter of life and death. If the person was judged guilty, does that mean their life should be taken? The death penalty was an extreme, but one that Kira easily used. L couldn’t deny that some people simply deserved to die due to their horrendous crimes, yet Kira killed a wild amount.

When it came down to it, Kira saw the world in black and white where those bad should be punished to extreme extents while the good should be rewarded. L saw the world in various shades of grey. No one was simply good or evil. Instead, everyone consisted of both good and bad and acts of evil may appear just in one’s eyes and hopelessly cruel in another. There were always multiple sides to every story, and L had dedicated himself to revealing the trickiest side of the truth. Kira did not search for the truth, instead, he judged based on basic information.

L wasn’t certain he could support someone who neglected to search for the truth before condemning people to death.

For some reason, the fact that Light was Kira vastly changed L’s attitude. L didn’t believe he could support Kira, but he could support Light. Light was his first friend and L couldn’t just leave him. Light had also put a huge amount of trust into L. He felt honored but also annoyed. Light was dragging him into dangerous conflict. He would have to become part of it as there was no way for him to avoid it now, especially carrying such a destructive secret.

Although there was one thing L knew for certainty – he certainly wasn’t bored anymore.

Light had pulled back from their closeness and was watching L with a guarded expression.

“I wasn’t wrong” L muttered softly, looking towards the ground.

“Wrong about what?” Light growled. L glanced up at him. Lights's eyes had narrowed and hardness had settled about his face. He looked very different from the pleasant boy who had laughed innocently earlier. He appeared much older and calculating now. With this look on his face, L could easily imagine Light as Kira.

“When I first met you, Light-kun – or should I call you Kira-kun? – I knew you were hiding a secret of great magnitude, for there was simply no way for anyone to be so flawless without at least a couple of cracks. I also thought that you had the possibility of becoming very interesting. I wasn’t wrong on either account.”

Light leaned back, his gaze never leaving L’s face. He controlled his face perfectly and retained a neutral expression. Not one emotion flicked over his face. The sudden transformation struck L.

“What do you wish to do about it? And Light-kun is fine for now”

“Well, I’m not entirely certain.”

“Hmm, is that so? Whatever you wish to do, I would strongly recommend against telling anyone what I have just told you.”

“Or else Light-kun would kill me?” Light’s perfect composure broke for a second and a variety of emotions flickered across his face.

“It would strongly pain me to do such an act, and I sincerely hope that it will not have to come down to that?”

“But Light-kun would, however, if I became detrimental to your plans?”

“L, I don’t want you to think that I –“

“Just answer the question Light-kun.”

“I…I don’t know.” Lights composure broke again and he glanced away from L, staring intently at a bird perching in a tree.

“Does Light-kun have the ability to kill me, if he so wishes?”

“First off, I would not wish, but…”

“Yes?”

“I could kill you if I wished, L. I would hate to do so as with you I feel I have finally found someone valuable and worthy of my attention, but If you jeopardized my plans, then yes, I may have to take extreme actions to prevent you from doing anything irreparable.”

“Like telling the world that you are Kira?” L questioned. Light looked back up at L, his face once again rigid and in control.

“Is that what you’re planning to do with this information?” responded Light. L placed his thumb upon his lips in that weird quirk of his.

“I do not think so Light-kun. While that may not mean much as you have just told me that you could easily kill me. However, I do not wish to turn you in. While I do not agree with Kira’s system of justice, you are my first friend and have become very important to me. Even if I may not support you in your decisions, I will not turn you into anyone, now will I tell anyone this. However, I do not believe you would have told me with this without the intention of me eventually joining your side, and contributing to your cause.”

“You don’t believe Kira is right?” Light asked. It always angered him when he found someone who didn’t support Kira. Kira had done so much good for this world already. Couldn’t L see that the crime rate had dropped drastically and that almost all the war had ended because Kira was finally doing right?

“No.”

“Would you mind telling me why? I am very curious why you deny my system of justice.”

“It is not justice, Light-kun. And if it is, it is a very antiquated system. I have observed that Kira believes the world consists of people who are either good or bad, with little in between. However, that is not the case. The world is composed of many shades of grey, and no one person is completely good or evil. Sometimes, good deeds are committed by people who are “evil”, while “good” people can also commit atrocious crimes. There is no definite line and believing so makes one very naïve.”

“Furthermore, Light-kun, you do not seek the truth before you kill a person. Instead, you kill them based on google searches or news announcements. You have no grasp of the motivations behind a person’s action, or even if they were wrongly accused. I simply cannot stand with someone who neglects to search for the truth before taking a person’s life.”

Light was stunned. He had expected the repeated argument of that it was wrong to take anyone’s life, no matter their actions. Instead, L had mentioned several good ideas. Of course, he was wrong, and it was only a matter of time before Light won him over.

Light would win him over. L was too valuable of a prize to lose so easily.

“I understand where you are coming from, L” responded Light, “but, it’s not like that. Kira only punishes those who have already been announced guilty by the current justice system or is without a doubt guilty of serious crimes. The world is not filled up with either good or bad people, but some people the world as a whole could do without. They are murders or sex offenders, terrorists or gang leaders that I am certain to have committed horrendous crimes that harm society as a whole. It is all for the greater good. In response to your other point, it is near impossible to know the complete truth. People lie. The only real truth is in numbers, and that is why I judge based on body counts or the numbers of serious offenses. Once a person has committed a crime, there is a high probability that they will do it again…and again. That was what was happening before I stepped in. The world was rotting. Almost daily, one would see reports of horrible crimes that no one would do anything about. Innocent people lived in fear. Now, however, crime rates have dropped and people don’t have to be scared anymore. Would it be better if we let the world fall apart at the seams until innocent people couldn’t walk the streets without the fear of being attacked, raped, or killed?” Light's voice remained steady and his gaze bored into L’s eyes. If only L could see the truth!

“Light-kun, I am not certain…”

“Before I became Kira, I walked to a grocery store. When I was there, a group of vile bikers harassed a girl. They were holding her down and about to rape her. Passerbies wouldn’t dare get involved, in fear of their own safety. It was despicable. L, people were being raped on busy streets! But since becoming Kira, things like that don’t happen anymore. People wouldn’t dare. Is that really such a bad thing?”

“Why you?”

“Excuse me?”

L looked sharply at Light. “I asked why you? What makes you so above the rest that you believe you are worthy to kill people? And if you kill people, doesn’t that make you a criminal, like the types you are trying so hard to eradicate?”

Light let out a laugh “L, you’re missing the point.”

“No, Light-kun. I really am not.” L said firmly.

“Very well. Why me? Because I was one of the few who could actually use the power of Kira to change the world. I had to do something, L. Becoming Kira gave me the opportunity to save the world. I am not using the power for selfish desires, as one could easily do. No. Instead, I am intelligent enough to see a greater picture. It was chance that I discovered the power to become Kira. I was in the right place at the right time. However, I am not one who puts faith in meaningless coincidences. There is a reason for this. I would not have been given this gift to simply toss it away. It would be a waste. On your other point, I am not harming innocents. Therefore, you cannot group me as someone like the ones I punish. If I did begin killing people simply for the sake of it, then yes, I should be stopped. But am I not! I judge because I must. If not, the world was overflow with corruption. It is not something I enjoy doing, but it must be done.” God, why couldn’t L see this? Light had trusted in L’s ability to think logically, but now he was being obtuse and stubborn.

“I do not believe that.”

“Believe what?’ Light practically hissed. He was getting pissed off now.

“That you don’t enjoy doing this. Contrastingly, I think you enjoy this greatly. Does it make you feel god-like Light-kun? Better than everyone else? Please do not lie to me.”

“I…it is power, and like any power it is intoxicating. But I am very skilled at remaining sober.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, of course, it is.”

L leaned forward, entering Lights personal space. He rested his hands on his knees and very delicately put his mouth by Lights ear.

“I don’t believe you.” He whispered softly. He observed Lights jaw clench.

“Then what would you like me to do to convince you?”

“What would you be willing to do?” He whispered again into Light’s ears. This time, he exhaled softly on Lights earlobe causing a hiss to pass through the other boy’s lips.

. He could feel the L breathing in his ear, and it sent a shock of heat coursing through him. Light couldn’t contain himself as he suddenly pulled L as close as he could. L was pulled off balance and tumbled into L’s arms, putting all of his weight on the other boy. Light wrapped his arms around L’s back, holding him close.

“I’ll tell you everything…hmmm? That way you have the power to destroy me if you so wish. It doesn’t mean I won’t stop you if you become too much of a concern. And then…” Light trailed off. He nipped at L’s earlobe and was pleased with the thick swallowing that resulted.

“Then what?” L whispered hoarsely. He was angry at the lack of control he had from the other boy, but supposed Light felt the same when it came to him. They were truly tangled with each other, both literally and metaphorically.

“I can think of a few things I would like to do…”

L noticeably shivered, and Light could feel desire coiling in his stomach. How was it that this particular person made him feel so many things? With great effort, L pulled back from Light’s embrace. His cheeks were fairly flushed and he anxiously ran a hand through his matted hair. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

“What do you want from me?” L asked. He opened his eyes to stare intensely at Light.

“I thought I made that fairly clear.” Light smirked as a blush filled L’s face. Lust briefly filled his eyes, before they became more clear and rational.

“No, not like that.” A think swallow. “What do you want from me as Kira? Why are you telling me this?”

“Oh, Kira is all good and well, but the new world I’m creating will be empty without someone to share it with. I’m telling you this because I wish to make you my queen in the new world. You will rule alongside if you choose to. I want you L. More than I have ever wanted anyone before.”

“You wish for me to help you carry out your plans? And then to…” L looked away. “We’ve only known each other for two weeks, Light-kun.”

“Yes, and through those two weeks, I have grown to care about you. You are the only one who can match my intelligence. You are the only one that is worthy.” Light grasped L’s chin between his fingers and forced him to look directly at him. “I want you L. More than I have ever wanted anyone before. Will you help me create a new and better world?”

The world had faded around them until it was just them two, focused so intently on each other. Time seemed frozen to them and the air crackled with untamed emotions. The moment dragged on and on, and their eyes were locked together. L struggled to take a breath. He knew what he was going to say next would be a mistake, but it was one he couldn’t keep from happening.

“I…yes, Light-kun. However, I will not kill anyone, nor will I be subservient to you. We will be equals, do you understand?”

“Of course, L. I understand.” Light answered triumphantly.

A victorious smile slowly spread its way across Light’s face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent some time organizing this story, and I have it currently at 41 chapters. Clearly, there's a lot more to come and a lot of characters to take their shot at these two. But for now, we'll let L and Light feel like it's just them. 
> 
> With that, I hope you enjoy!

“Mom, I’m home,” Light announced from the doorway. After Light revealed his secret and L agreed to help, Light had seen it best to take L back to his house.

L awkwardly shuffled in behind him, uncertain of what to do. He had never been invited to someone’s house before, and he was anxious at meeting Light’s parents, considering how he had been kissing their son senseless a couple of hours before. He hoped they were nice people.

“Light!” a girl’s voice shouted out, and a young girl with dark brown hair came running into the hallway. “I got my English test back and I –.” Her voice cut off immediately when she caught sight of L. She stared at him, her eyes wide. L stuffed his hands into his pockets and nervously shuffled his feet.

“Sayu, this is my friend, L. L, this is my sister, Sayu. She’s a bit a pest, to be honest.”

“Light, don’t tease your sister.” A middle-aged woman appeared in the hallway. She spoke of homeliness and hospitality. She smiled softly at L.

“Mom, this is Light’s friend, L. He must go to college with Light.” Sayu chirped up. Her initial shock replaced by her usual enthusiasm.

L expected it was about time to say something so he stepped forward and extended his hand.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Yagami.”

“Oh, it’s finally so nice to meet someone with proper manners.” Mrs. Yagami smiled warmly at his as she took his hand. “You must be the one Light’s been obsessed with.”

“Mom, I’m going to go upstairs with him, okay? Call me when dinners ready” Light cut off sharply. L took notice of Light’s sharp tone and concluded he couldn’t pass up on such an opportunity.

“Obsessed with, Mrs. Yagami? May I ask what you mean by that?” L asked with the most innocent look he could muster.

“Oh, well, obsessed may be a strong word, but I’ve never seen him so interested in anyone.”

L could sense the irritation radiating off Light, but he couldn’t resist.

“Light-kun speaks about me to his family?”

Mrs. Yagami and Sayu exchanged a knowing glance.

“Well, not exactly. Nonetheless, it’s very nice seeing Light connecting with people.”

Light grabbed on to L’s shoulders before he could formulate a response and pushed him towards the stairs.

“We’re going upstairs now.”

“But I haven’t finished my conversation with your mother.’’

“You can finish talking to her later if you so desperately need to.”

“Very well.” L looked over his shoulder at the two ladies watching the spectacle with amused expressions. “It was very nice talking to you, and I hope to continue this conversation later.”

Mrs. Yagami smiled at him, and he gave a small smile back. He rather liked her; she was kind and didn’t make him feel uncomfortable. L wished there were more people like her to make meeting families easier.

L, in his thoughts, had ceased moving as fast as Light wished, so when they reached the staircase, Light grabbed L’s hand and pulled him up. L stumbled slightly as his foot caught on a stair, but he quickly regained his footing and followed Light up the stairs.

The walked down the hallway until the third door, where Light stooped to remove a piece of paper from the doorway. Then he moved to remove a piece of pencil lead cleverly hidden on the door hinge. L watched amused.

“I suppose paranoia comes in the job description.”

Light glared at L quickly before pulling him into the room and roughly shoving him onto the bed. The intensity in Light’s eyes made L’s breath hitch slightly. He had expected he would be in this position sometime this night but not nearly this soon.

On the side, he noted that the bed was perfectly made and the room was completely organized. Light’s shelves were filled with a multitude of textbooks, all ordered perfectly. There was not a speck of dust anywhere. The room was empty of any personal artifacts; the only objects that could link the room to Light were several framed awards. The room actually made L feel rather sad. There was no warmth in it, no sign of life; instead, it spoke simply of orderliness and sterility. He supposed it fit Light, but he still wished that there was something physical Light treasured for emotional value.

“What is it?” Light breathed heavily. “You look…sad. Is something wrong?”

L lifted his head to look at Light. “Your room feels so empty, Light-kun.” A look of confusion crossed over Light’s face.

“Huh?”

L sat up completely now. “Your room. It is empty. There is nothing in here that speaks of you. “

“What would you want me to have in here? It’s simply my room, L. I don’t need to make it into something special.”

“You don’t plan on being here much longer.”

“I’m not sure why this is important.” Light sat down on the bed next to L. “Especially when there other, more enjoyable things we could be doing…” Light whispered breathily into L’s ear.

“No, I do not think so. Not yet at least.”

Light jerked back and confusion crossed his face again, before flickering into annoyance.

“Well then what do you want to do if you’re going to refuse anything I say?”

“Light-kun does not need to get so upset. Simply because I refuse to do it now does not mean I will not do it later. Good things come to those who wait. Anyway, you still have to show me how you kill as Kira, and I must tell you my darkest secret since you have revealed yours.”

“You still want to do that?”

“It would be only fair.”

“Okay, then. Go ahead.”

“Light-kun,” L spoke in a small whisper and Light had to lean in to hear him clearly, “I think…there is an 87% chance I’m gay…”

Light stared at him for a brief second before bursting out laughing. “Really? Are you completely sure about that? Because I don’t know, on the way home I saw you checking out some girl.”

L shook his head back and forth. “Light-kun must need new eyes, Light-kun, because you clearly saw incorrectly. At the very least, I was checking out a male. On that note, there was one particularly attractive one on the way here…”

Light smiled deviously. “Is that male happening to be sitting right next to you perhaps?”

“No. This male had very nice black hair and eyes and was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans and was very attractive.”

“Oh, I think I saw him too.” Light paused, tilting his head in remembrance “but he really wasn’t that attractive, I don’t think. Nah, not my type. Too ungainly.”

L shifted slightly so that his mouth was barely an inch from Light’s. He could feel Light’s warm breath mingling with his own.

“I don’t believe you.” L whispered. Immediately, Light’s eyes dilated and he pushed L onto his back. His mouth struggled to form words, but finding none, it moved to press itself against L’s. L opened his mouth to meet Light’s and moaned softly as Light’s tongue moved to explore his mouth. It also reminded him that he hadn’t had a chance to taste Light’s mouth yet. He was going to have to change that and soon.

The kiss continued for a while until they finally broke apart. They both gasped for air, and Light sat up to straddle L. L’s body responded to the sudden warm weight on that particular part, and L blushed. Light only continued to smile down at him.

“I’m still going to want to know your secret, L. You don’t have to tell me now if you don’t want, but as you said, it is only fair.” Light shifted slightly, rubbing against a particularly sensitive part. L couldn’t keep the moan from escaping and in turn, blushed deeply.

“I’ll…I’ll tell you later…and Light-kun stills have to tell me…_ah_” L’s train of speech trailed off as Light slid one of his hands under L’s shirt and up his chest, tracing the soft abdomen. Light also leaned down to press hot kisses along L’s neck, nibbling along L’s jawline.

“What were you saying L? I have to tell you what?” Light asked mischievously. He continued to kiss along L’s neck, pleased at L’s reactions.

“I…I… stop…stop it Light…secret…” L gasped. Light paused in his motions briefly.

“Yes?”

L took a few seconds to compose himself. “I’m not experienced in such actions.” L stated.

“Really?”

“Yes, Light-kun.” L looked away. Light had probably done it with a ton of people already. It bothered L how inexperienced he was at these things.

“Was today your first kiss?” Light asked softly. L still refused to look at him.

“No. But it was one of a few.” L muttered. He shouldn’t feel ashamed about this.

Light rolled off him to lay next L on the bed. They laid next to each other for a minute in silence.

“Y’know, if you didn’t tell me that, I wouldn’t have known. You’re a very good kisser.”

“Thank you. Light-kun is also very good kisser,” L responded.

“I know.” Light agreed. L shot him a glance, only to freeze when he met Light’s eyes. Light was looking at him in such a warm, dare he say, loving way. He couldn’t break the gaze if he tried.

“Would you like me to take it slow? I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

“I- if that’s okay, Light-kun. I’m sorry that –,” L began to apologize but Light clamped a hand over his mouth.

“No. Don’t even apologize for something like that. Honestly, I would rather take it slow too. I have finally found something worth keeping and I’m not going to ruin it by rushing it.” Light declared. L lifted one of his hands to remove Light’s hand from his mouth. Without warning, he sat up and swung one of legs over Light’s hips, replicating Light’s potion from before. He hesitated a second before speaking.

“Why are you being like this to me?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Light-kun does not seem like someone who would be so understanding and willing. Light-kun takes what he wants. I have observed that whenever you talk to someone there is an 86% chance it’s for your own benefit and gain. Except with me, you do not seem to do that as much. Only when you told me you were Kira, did you try to convince me to do something for your benefit. I understand you want my intelligence, however, you have been overly kind to me, to the point where you no longer gain as much as you could. Or maybe this is a way for you to cement my loyalty. Nonetheless, Light-kun is the person who only does things for his own gain.”

L shifted anxiously, waiting for an answer. After a few seconds, Light let out a low chuckle. He sat up slightly, forcing L to sit more in his lap.

“Yet you remain.”

“Against my better judgment, I do.”

Light brought a hand up to brush away a few strands of hair that had fallen over L’s face. With a sudden fluid movement, he pushed L onto his back, and positioned himself so he was on all fours overlooking L. Additionally, Light brought his knees hard against L’s wrists, clamping L’s arms to his sides. He brought his head down to L’s ears.

“Tell me your darkest secret.” Light ordered softly. L paused.

“Do you really wish to hear it?” L hated how timidly his voice sounded, but their current position wasn’t exactly helping.

“What do you think?” Light whispered sensually causing L to shudder. L inhaled deeply.

“I used to be involved in an abusive relationship, Light-kun.” L sighed reluctantly. It was a strange feeling to get this off his chest as he really never discussed it with anyone. It was a very dear secret, and one he kept hidden; the secret had remained private until this moment.

There was some relief in telling Light, yet he was also surprised by his willingness. It had only been two weeks and here he was confessing _this. _The one secret that could destroy him and everything he loved. It was only fair, however. Light had revealed his, and now L must do the same. Light quickly removed the pressure of his knees from L’s side.

“I’m sorry,” Light choked out “If I had known I wouldn’t have…”

“You did not know. You cannot be held accountable for that.”

Light looked down at him, and his initial shock was replaced by morbid curiosity and simmering rage.

“Who was it?” Light hissed.

“His name is not important.” L began, comfortable in providing no additional information. However, Light’s urging stare convinced him to elaborate. “He was not a bad person. He simply had several issues and mental illnesses that he dealt with by hurting others. We used to be very close, Light-kun. We grew up together and were essentially brothers. He was very intelligent, and I greatly enjoyed his company as a child. However, his best friend ended up killing himself, and he was never the same after that.

“He sought solace and comfort in me, which I provided. Eventually, he grew obsessive and dangerous, and I was the only one who could control him. One day, even I couldn’t prevent his murderous tendencies. He killed three people, ironic considering how you are the one who punishes his type. He came to me afterward, begging for my forgiveness and help. I refused to forgive him, but I offered to help.

“It wasn’t enough for him as he thought I was betraying him so he burned the house down. He fled and no one has seen him since. I miss him Light-kun, but he was not good for me, nor was I for him. He was too dependent and I was unable to provide him with the emotional support he needed. I blame myself for those murders Light-kun. I could have prevented it, but I didn’t. I loved him. No, I still love him.”

L breathed a large breath as his long speech had left him breathless. He hadn’t meant to tell the whole story in such detail, but for some reason, he felt like he should tell Light everything concerning this. There was a 45.5% chance that something related to this would occur later, and Light should be prepared for such a situation. He stared into Light’s eyes, daring Light to accuse him of horrible mistakes and disastrous naivety. Light’s eyes had taken on an almost blank quality as he absorbed the information.

“So you’re saying this person you knew and loved killed three people and set your house on fire?” Light asked emotionlessly.

“Essentially. He’s part of the reason my caretaker was so insistent of sending me out of the country. He thought it contained too many bad memories for me, which is partly true. He also wished for me to assume an alias in order to disguise my identity, but I am not one to hide who I am. Britain is my home and I wish to return as soon as possible. There is not much in Japan I enjoy. Except you, I suppose.”

Light stood up slowly and walked over to his desk. L sat up on the side of the bed as Light sat down heavily on his seat.

“Is he still missing?” Light inquired vacantly.

“Yes. His intelligence is much like mine, so it would not be of great difficulty for him to evade the police.”

“So, he’s never been held to justice-“

“Light-kun, I will not tell you who or where he is. If he does murder again, I will put a stop to him. But he hasn’t. And lest of all would I want you to sentence him to death.”

Light slammed a hand onto his desk. “He killed three people L! Are you saying that murderers should walk free like that? There should never have to be a next time. It’s my job to ensure that there are no possibilities that previously convicted criminals don’t relapse and harm innocents. How do you know the next person he kills isn’t going to be some child or something?”

“He won’t kill a child, Light-kun.”

“How the hell do you know that? People like him simply kill whoever they see. There is no reasoning or rationality.”

“I know it because the next and last person he will ever kill will be me.”

Light let out a harsh laugh “What the hell L? What does that even mean?”

“It means that he wishes to kill me, and for him, no one else matters. Shouldn’t that make you happy that he’s not going to kill innocents?” L couldn’t keep the irritation out of his voice.

“You’re harboring someone who killed three people. It doesn’t matter who he intends to kill or do next. He needs to be punished for what he has done.” A cold look settled on Light’s face. “Tell me his name.”

“What?” L asked startled. His name? Why should his name matter? Unless if –

“His name, L. Tell me his name.” A harsh edge had entered Lights voice, and L trembled under a wave of brilliance.

“You need his name to kill him, don’t you? That’s how you kill people isn’t it? You find their name, and through some means, you use that name to kill them.”

Light’s silence confirmed it, and L continued to question aloud.

“Except what do you do if people have the same name? All people sharing the same name don’t drop dead when you kill someone.” L thought for a moment, flicking through further ways of identification. “No, you need a picture of them, don’t you? Something to differentiate them from others. And what exactly do you do with that information when you have it?”

Light’s stared at him tensely, eyes flickering towards his desk for the briefest of moments. His fingers twitched, and L sought to understand the minor betrayal of Light’s internal state.

“It would be much too risky for you to simply wish for someone to die,” he said slowly, for even Light would not have enough control to suppress a flicker of irritation and a possible death wish. No, there had to be a catch. Something involving Light’s desk and likely his hands, for he now sat rigidly as if any other movement would betray him.

“You write it down,” L stated, and the flicker of panic over Light’s delicate features confirmed his theory. “I would imagine a book. It would seem to work best for the number of people you have killed. Another medium would be too restricting.”

L paused and frowned. If he wrote down a name in a book, the person did not die. And yet, Light had managed to kill a large swathe of people by doing just that.

He thought it over a moment, and from the depths of his subconscious emerged a sharp smile and gleaming red eyes.

_“I can see death,” _B had whispered to him. _“I can see death, and I can see yours.” _

“Death,” L stated, and Light blinked, clearly surprised. “There must be some agent of death,” he decided, for B had always hinted at something _more. _

“How?” Light choked out.

L gave a small shrug, disquieted over B’s apparent relation to Light’s means of killing.

A look of awe passed over Light’s face. “Do you know that one of the greatest minds in the world has been trying to figure that out for the past couple of months? And you come in here and figure it all out in minutes.” Light shot a sly smile at him. “This makes me very glad we aren’t enemies and very glad we are friends.” Light paused, working his jaw. “Close your eyes,” he ordered.

“Light-kun, I thought-“

“Just do it L.” Light directed. L hesitantly shut his eyes, enclosing himself in darkness. He felt uneasy; this situation put him at an extreme disadvantage to Light. There was no way to track Light’s movements, except for a few ruffles that revealed nothing. For all he knew, Light could be writing his name in that book of his and condemning L to death. Kira’s victims all died from heart attacks, which always struck L as a horrible way to go. A blaring pain across your chest as your heart gave out, followed by the eventual succumbing to darkness. A bit like he was doing now.

“Light-kun, I-mmph” L’s voice was cut off as Light firmly pressed his mouth onto L’s. He was kissing him hard, and it hurt a bit, but not enough to dismay L from kissing back even harder. The pressure was maddening, and L resolutely attempted to get Light to open his mouth so the kiss could deepen even farther. He was having no luck, and before he knew it, Light had pulled back. L began to open his eyes, but Light quickly placed his palm over L’s eyes.

“No, not yet.”

“Why not?” L growled. He didn’t understand Light’s insistence for keeping his eyes shut. However, he kept his eyes closed against his better wishes.

“You were right about the book, L. You were also right about the name and face. I do need a name and face to kill, which as you can imagine can be irritating at times.” L could feel Light’s breath ghost against his cheek. “You were also right about the…agent of death. It doesn’t actually kill for me, but it does accompany the notebook. It is also currently in this room, which is why I told you to keep your eyes shut. It’s a startling sight and wanted you to be prepared before you saw it. It will not harm you either, so you have nothing to worry about. It’s just the appearance itself. You may open your eyes whenever you like now.”

L took a second to absorb what Light was saying, and a flurry of questions dashed through his head. He hesitantly opened his eyes and couldn’t help flinching back in horror as the monstrous creature that was hovering right over Light’s shoulder. Its eyes bulged, its mouth was filled with pointy teeth and rimmed in large black lips; its shoulders were much too wide and the legs and arms were much too long. The creature looked like something straight out of a nightmare, not something that casually hung out in teenager’s rooms. Most noticeably, the creature emitted an aurora that made L sick to his stomach. It was obvious he didn’t belong anywhere near this place. He wasn’t meant for this world.

“Name’s Ryuk.” The creature said, his voice raspy. It looked at L with its mouth twisted in what appeared to be a smile. “Pleasure to finally meet you.” It let out a low gravelly laugh that sent shudders through L’s spine. Light sent a look of irritation at the creature. He then looked back at L, his gaze softening.

“It’s a Shinigami,” Light explained casually. “They’re Gods of Death. I think they’re in charge of killing people or some sort. I don’t know a whole lot about them, considering how this particular one is as least helpful as you can get.”

The creature let out another low chuckle. “Now I don’t think that’s very fair. I’ve been very considerate towards your cause, especially since I have no obligation to help you at all. You just want everyone to tell you everything, no strings attached.”

Light sent a look of irritation at the creature. He then looked back at L, his gaze softening. “You okay? I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“It’s fine; I just need some time to think,” L responded, captivated by the creature.

“As much time as you want.” Light leaned back on his bed, spreading himself out. He shut his eyes contently and a small smirk spread across his face. L was his now, and he was honestly surprised at how easy it had been. It was a risk, admittedly, telling and showing L all of this, but it was necessary.

From the moment Light met him, he could tell L would only listen to the truth. Lies were wonderful methods of achieving his goals, but it was a technique he couldn’t use on L. Even if L didn’t see right through them, it would take a lot of work to keep the truth secret, especially since he planned to make L his partner.

Furthermore, Light knew L wouldn’t be completely persuaded by the truth alone. Instead, Light had to become someone L would fiercely pledge his loyalty too. Someone he could love enough to place everything on the line. This part was a bit trickier but still manageable. L had a hero complex mixed with undying loyalty. Light needed to become someone L believed he could save, or at the very least someone possible of redemption. It eliminated any chances of L telling anyone because as long as L thought Light was redeemable for his actions, he would continue to attempt to save him. This bought Light the time to change L’s views on Kira and help him see the light. He would understand one day. It was only a matter of time.

A sharp tap at the door drew both L and Light from their thoughts.

“Light, dinner’s ready. And Dad’s home too so you can talk to him.” Sayu’s shrill voice called out.

“I’ll be out in a moment.” Light called back lazily. He listened as Sayu’s footsteps landed on the stairs. After a moment, Light propped himself onto his elbows. L sat in a state of comatose, deep in thought. He watched for a moment, before gently tapping him on the shoulder.

“Yes?” L tensed slightly from the sudden interruption. He relaxed once he realized it was Light. “What is it?”

“Dinner’s ready. You can either stay here or go back home if you want.” Light looked languidly at L. 

“I think I want to go home Light-kun.” L swallowed and glanced back at Ryuk. Ryuk flashed a large toothy smile.

“You really don’t have to be afraid of Ryuk.”

“I’m not Light-kun.” L responded sharply. “It’s just been a long day and I wish to spend some time alone.”

Light sat up, leaning closely into L. “And will I be seeing you tomorrow?” L met his gaze steadily.

“Yes.” 

Light let a large shining smile cross his face, noticing how L’s cheeks tinged a shade pale of pink and how his eyes flitted down to Light’s lips. Taking advantage of L’s distraction, Light quickly closed the distance between them with a firm pressing of lips. He pulled back before anything else could happen, much to L’s dismay.

“You want to meet at the café tomorrow?” Light said, standing up. He stretched his arms briefly and his shirt rose just so to reveal a thin crescent of skin. L’s eyes immediately darted towards the sliver, and Light almost let out a laugh. However, his amusement was cut short when L seductively bit his lip, drawing all of Light’s attention. His eyes widened slightly, and when L realized the effect of his actions, a brilliant scarlet spread across his face. He quickly averted his gaze and focused intensely at the desk.

“That sounds good. I will see you tomorrow.” L stood up suddenly and made for the door. Light reached out and grabbed L’s shoulder, pulling him back into his arms. L’s head burrowed into Light’s collar bone and Light buried his face into L’s black hair. He inhaled deeply, bringing in all the scents he could conjure. There was something maddeningly familiar with L’s scent, but Light couldn’t place it.

“I really should be going now,” L muttered weakly against Light’s collarbone.

“Smoke…” Light whispered at the sudden realization.

“Light-kun?”

“You smell like smoke from the fires my family used to make when my father attempted to connect to his ‘wild’ side and took us all camping in the summer. Sayu made us have s’mores every night and I always burned mine. I hated it.” Light paused, distracted by the sudden thumping on the stairs.

“Liiiiight” Sayu’s shrill voice called out. “Are you coming or not? I’m hungry.”

Light sighed against L’s head in irritation. He held him a second longer before stepping back.

“I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow.” Light muttered tiredly. L regarded him for a second, before leaning in quickly to plant a chaste kiss on Light’s lips. Light’s shock was apparent, and before Light could muster any reaction, L was already heading for the bedroom door. He paused at the doorway to nod slightly in Ryuk’s direction.

“There is a 76% chance this will end horribly, Light-kun.” L spoke nearly inaudible. His shoulder blades showed through the thin white shirt, creating sharp angles and depressions. Light imagined wings unfurling from the angular bones: beautiful holy wings that captured the light within its snowy white feathers, reflecting both the beauty and horror of the world in a simultaneous eruption. It took Light’s breath away. It was fitting for a god to have an angel. He shook his head violently to dispel the image. He was acting dramatic.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Light responded. L considered the answer for a second before exiting the room. Light followed swiftly and descended the stairs, but L was gone. His family was sitting at the table and the aromas of the food drifted through the house. His mother looked worriedly up at him.

“I asked L if he would like to stay for dinner, but he denied without much of a reason. Is everything okay between you two?” Light’s mother asked. Her need to be involved as much as possible in Light’s personal life irritated him.

She was a kind woman, but bland, content with simple home life. He supposed people would envy her for being so content with achievable desires, but Light scorned her for her lack of ambition. His father had ambition, but his morals were so rigid that it prevented him from taking the necessary steps to truly eradicate crime. Instead, his hard work and late nights were put to waste as criminals continued to commit horrendous crimes. His father was a single man against an overwhelming flood of crime, and it filled Light with a sense of hopelessness and waste.

The Death Note changed all of this. Now Light could finally destroy the evil that afflicted the world and bring meaning to the work of good men, and he was going to do it all with the one person he considered the closest to an equal. Light felt his lips curling upwards into a triumphant smile.

“Oh, yes. Everything’s perfect.” Light declared.


	8. Chapter 8

L and Light walked side by side through the nearly abandoned sidewalks of To-Oh. A few late students rushed past them, desperately attempting to reach their next class, but other than that, they were undisturbed. A few words had been exchanged upon meeting, but L was being unusually silent. It worried Light, but he reasoned L was still struggling to process the information from yesterday. It had been an emotional roller-coaster of buried confessions and decisive agreements. Light supposed he shouldn’t have moved so quickly in his admittance, but at the time, it seemed like the best decision.

Light glanced over at L, noting how L’s messy hair delicately framed his face. L’s expression was neutral and revealed nothing, but Light had the sense as if anger radiating from L. Something wasn’t right here.

“You okay L?” Light asked tentatively.

L snapped back the response. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” His tone betrayed his irritation.

“I just wanted to make sure. No need to be so snappy,” Light startled.

“I’m not being snappy. It’s simply a ridiculous question.”

“L, it’s really not that ridiculous of a question considering how you agreed yesterday to help me create a new world.”

“Well, would you like me to change that decision Light-kun?”

“No. I really would not.”

“So stop asking me if I’m okay.”

“So I shouldn’t be worried for you at all then, huh?”

“That shouldn’t be too hard for you, considering how much of a narcissist you are.”

“You think I’m a narcissist?” Light asked affronted. Now that was offensive, even if it was a bit true.

“You think you aren’t?” L shot back. He was clearly in a horrible mood, and Light didn’t know if he should give up talking to him or work his way through the anger.

“I think that you need to calm down.”

“I am perfectly calm,” L growled. The bright sun shone down on the pathway, lighting up the bricks.

“Yesterday, it sounded like you were okay with this. If you aren’t up to this anymore, we can always end it. There must be someone else I can find.”

“Light-kun, your attempts to evoke jealously and manipulate me emotionally are pathetic. I had thought you would be better.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you’re being a stubborn ass who refuses to discuss anything properly.”

“Light-kun thinks I’m a stubborn ass?”

“You think you aren’t?” Light responded angrily. How could someone who made him so pleased yesterday make him so irritated today? L was being infuriating, and Light was trying his hardest not to lose check on his frustration. The question resulted in silence, and it was a long while before L spoke again.

“Light-kun, how is Kira good for the world when you will create a world where people must live in fear against wronging you? You may simply be replacing lowly criminals with an oppressive dictator,” L asked firmly. He wouldn’t be afraid to confront Light.

“It’s not going to be like that,” Light responded.

“Really? Your ideas sound good in theory, Light-kun, but I cannot see their practicality in the real world. There will always be crime and hatred and evil. If not, I believe we would lose half our humanity,” L remarked. Light turned to look intensely at L.

“You surely can’t believe that.”

“I do.”

“Well, you’re wrong.” Light declared. L quirked his head and looked at Light strangely.

“But doesn’t hatred drive you to kill criminals? It is hatred, and couldn’t one argue that the killing of people, regardless of their previous crimes, is evil? You are robbing someone of their child or lover or parent with a few strokes of a pen. You are very hypocritical, Light-kun.” Once L concluded, a cold look descended over Light’s face.

“L, I have been nothing but kind and understanding towards you. It’s a shame that you so stubbornly refuse my ideas, but I will not attempt to convince you any more than I have. If you wish to continue to see it this way, then I cannot change that. I am offering you the chance to achieve greatness and change the world for the better. But I will not get on my knees and beg for your help. I would much rather prefer doing it with you, but I am just as capable alone. This is your decision, L. So stop hassling me with your superior morals and unshakable belief in human nature and decide what you want to do,” Light stated, his voice firm and tinged with a touch to anger. L froze completely in his tracks. “So?” Light asked, raising one eyebrow. L took a few seconds to compile his thoughts.

“What would it entitle from me? What will I have to do to ensure you of your god-like status?” L growled. “Unfortunately, I don’t know the secret for immortality, so I suppose true godliness is out of the question.”

“L, I just want to make the world a better place.” Light replied, running a hand through his auburn hair.

“But how? Are you seeking civilian support? Kira does already have a large fan-base, but it appears only to be cult crazies who have nothing better to do with their time, while true intellects denounce your so-called justice. You need to garner more support from a wider, more acceptable source. Perhaps confirm your existence and clearly share your message, instead of letting a few internet bloggers corrupt your work. Securing a country’s support will be much harder, however, if the punishment for defying you is greater than the price of refusal, you can easily force governments to play their hands and reap the consequences. You will certainly have enemies, so it is essential for you to remain as quiet and secretive as possible. You should also avoid public displays of your power. Your confrontation with the detective was a large folly on your part.” L paused for a second, his thumb pressed to his lips as he thought. “I would also recommend creating a system of justice that clearly outlines the punishments for certain offenses. Governments can then adopt that system and help you enforce it. Light-kun, changing the world will take a lot more than writing a few words down.” L paused again, looking down at the ground briefly and shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “I believe the tennis courts are fairly close by. Would Light-kun like to play another game?”

Light regarded L for a long moment. A multitude of emotions and thoughts washed over his mind, and he could scarcely keep the pure amazement off his face. He resisted the urge to seize L in his arms and kiss him hard. He could do it; they were alone.

“Well?” L asked. His gaze was still locked on the red bricks that marked the walkway as he avoided looking at Light.

“That sounds great.” Light smiled brightly, catching L’s downward gaze and gloating in the consequent blush. L looked adorable when he blushed; perhaps it was because the redness brought life to his otherwise pale cheeks. Whatever it was, the effect was alluring. Light prided himself in his self-control as he was sure any lesser mortal would have abandoned any sense of restraint and taken L right there and then. L shuffled uncomfortably under the intense gaze.

“So should we – mmmph!” L began to speak, only to be cut off when Light grabbed him by his waist and pulled him roughly until their lips met in a sloppy clash.

L was completely engulfed in Lights grasp as Light placed both his hands firmly on L’s shoulder blades. L began to move his lips against Lights, pleased at the small moan that resulted. As L began to kiss harder, Light angled his head to help deepen the kiss. His mouth opened slightly, and L used the opportunity to slip his tongue into Light’s mouth. He ran his tongue along Light’s teeth and smiled slightly at the loud moan Light emitted.

Light blushed at the noise but continued to succumb to L’s movement. It felt amazing, whatever L was doing with his tongue. He could feel himself leaning closer and closer, desperately attempting to close any space between them. Since he was always very popular at school, an abundance of girls always existed who were willing to date him. He had taken a couple out and even kissed a few. The kisses always seemed to be bland messy affairs that ended with Light wiping his mouth in disgust. But this kiss with L was something else entirely. He wanted to be kissed by L, and he wanted to be kissed hard. There was no sense of disgust, only one of lust that sent spirals of desire coiling through Light. It felt amazing, and he hoped L felt the same way. The rest of the world faded into irrelevance; the sensation inspired bliss.

“Excuse me,” a sharp, weedy voice interrupted. Too caught up in each other, the voice made no impact on them, and they continued to kiss each other passionately. “Excuse me,” the voice interrupted again, but this time much louder and piercing. L and Light jerked backward, startled by the sudden interruption. A short man with his arms crossed and an atrocious haircut crinkled his face with disgust. He looked to be a professor, but of something boring and irrelevant.

“Yes?” Light asked, still holding L close. He could feel L’s chest rising against his. The sensation was intoxicating. The man sniffed pretentiously.

“Your – ahem- actions are hardly appropriate for such a prestigious school. Please refrain from taking any more of these – ahem- actions from now on.” The man sniffed again. Light resisted the urge to verbally slaughter him. He didn’t resist for very long, and he opened his mouth in preparation to verbally destroy the man until there was nothing left but that truly atrocious haircut. L must have sensed what Light was preparing to do and shifted slightly so that Light could face the man better.

“Actions? Would you mind elaborating?” Light spoke, feigning innocence and good intention. A sharp red flush crept up the man’s neck.

“Ahem- the action would be your extremely public display of affection. Please refrain from doing such a thing again.” The man coughed awkwardly but continued to stare in determination.

“So I shouldn’t be allowed to show my boyfriend how much I care for him?” Light snapped, “Are you insinuating homophobic attitudes because I can distinctly remember four separate situations where you allowed straight couples to display their “public display of affection”? I don’t believe the board would be too happy if I reported your discrimination of students based on sexuality, especially To-Oh won an award for being the most open and accepting university of Japan. It was a big award, wasn’t it? I remember reading about it in the papers. The Prime Minister even came. And now, I’m not even allowed to kiss my boyfriend on an empty path, unless somehow your senses are better than mine and you’re able to see students that would make this “action” public. Oh wait – it looks like there’s no one. Which, funny enough, is unfortunate for you since there will be no witnesses and I’m fairly sure that the university would be more inclined to believe my account of your blatant homophobia considering how I’m the top of the freshman class and you’re some aging professor who's way past his time. Isn’t that right?” Light’s tirade came to a close, and the man stood aghast and speechless. His mouth moved, but no sound came out, and his neck was completely flushed with spotted red.

L snuggled closer to Light. “You called me your boyfriend,” he mumbled, looking up at Light’s composed face. The end of his lips pulled upwards in a small smile.

Light looked back down at him. “Yeah, I guess I did,” he said softly. The man continued to stutter, and Light mockingly smiled down on him. “I asked- isn’t that right?” His voice dripped with spoiled sweetness.

“I – yes,” the man managed to force out. He cleared his throat violently and glanced down in defeat.

“Good,” Light chirped “I’m glad we figured this out. Now if you’d excuse us, we really should get back to our ‘public displays of affection.” He smiled again, gloating in the effortless defeat.

“Ah-yes,” The man muttered as he continued to stare defeated at the ground. After a second, he stiffly walked past, dragging his feet as if he was in pain. Light watched him briefly, before turning back to L. L leaned up to plant a small kiss on Light’s lips, and Light smiled softly at the action. For someone who had always avoided physical contact, such comfort from effortless intimacy was marvelous.

“While I do very much enjoy our ‘public displays of affection’, I’ve gotten very hungry, and there’s a sale on cheesecake at the bakery near here,” L said. Light pulled a face.

“More cheesecake? Will it ever end?”

“If life is good, then no. It will never ever end, Light-kun.”

“Your obsession with sweets worries me.”

“Your lack of obsession with sweets worries me more.”

“Fine,” Light huffed. “You can get your cheesecake. But I better be getting something out of this.”

“Very well, I will show you one of my secrets.” L conceded.

“Which is…?”

L smiled mischievously. “I can complete a certain action with a cherry stem that many people find…admirable.” He ran his tongue over his lips, watching Light pale considerably.

“You can really do that?” Light asked astonished.

“Yes, Light-kun.”

“You’re going to have to show me it.”

“Only after my cheesecake,” L stated. Amusement lit up Light’s face.

“So that’s how it’s working out.”

“Yes, Light-kun. I hope there is no problem.”

“No, it’s fine,” Light conceded in amusement. “Afterwards, you still want to go to the tennis courts?”

“Sounds like a date,” L replied, and he began to walk off in the direction of the bakery. His strides were interrupted by the harsh sound of two hands slowly coming together and separating repeatedly. The sound resonated through the walkway.

“Very nice exchange there, I do say,” a high, cultured voice laden with the formalities of a British accent said clearly. L turned to look at the source of the exclamation, only to notice that Light stood rigidly. L sent Light a quizzical look before setting eyes on the unknown person.

The first thing that struck L about this person was the striking watery blue eyes that stared sharply at him. The intense gaze unnerved, made only more so the piercing shade of blue. Furthermore, to highlight the peculiarity of the eyes, the person’s hair was an incredibly light shade of blond – practically white. The sun shone through the short hair, creating a halo effect that emphasized the sharp cheekbones that accentuated the face. The person was also incredibly skinny and tall, making it appear that one good gust of wind could topple him over. He stood with his chin lifted haughtily and a curious smirk played on his lips. His attire consisted of a plain pair of black khakis and a dark blue button-up that clung to his skinny chest.

He stuck his hand out towards L and pulled his thin lips back to reveal blindingly white teeth in a half smile-half grimace. L hesitantly reached out to grab it carefully with his own hand. For some reason, L felt that if he handled the boy too harshly his thin bones would shatter, and he would break.

“Pleasure to meet you. You may call me Alexander,” the boy said thinly, his lips still pulled back in that horrible half grimace-half smile. L shook the hand, before redrawing his hand. He glanced back at Light only to see that his face was still frozen in an empty mask.

“I’m….” L paused. For some reason, he didn’t feel comfortable telling this man his name. A strange familiarity existed, and he could have sworn he had seen him before somewhere. Therefore, after a second of consideration, he decided to keep his name secret until he felt confident that he could reveal his identity. “Ryuzaki,” he finished, using the alias Watari had wished for him to adopt upon entering Japan. Light shot him a quizzical look but nodded in understanding. “Ryuzaki Ryuga.”

“Ryuzaki,” Alexander spoke, drawing out the name as if tasting it on his tongue. “What an interesting name.” Every word was perfectly spoken; his tongue crawling over every syllable.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Alexander,” Light said abruptly. His voice was clipped and controlled, and his face betrayed nothing.

“Ah, I am interested in your activities at college. Needless to say, it appears you are getting the most out of your education.” Alexander sent another empty smile towards L and narrowed his eyes slightly. “I wouldn’t imagine him to be your type,” he murmured softly. Light shifted at the reference to L.

“I don’t believe this is relevant,” Light replied curtly.

“Hmm… I will be the decider of that.” Alexander continued to regard L with those piercing blue eyes. L glanced between Alexander and Light, pulling the puzzle pieces of their relationship together.

“I overheard your plans for lunch. Do you mind if I accompany?” Alexander focused back on Light.

“You’ll have to ask Ryuzaki,” Light answered, effortlessly using L’s spontaneously assumed alias. He also smiled tightly back at him; his eyes betraying the obvious distrust.

“I don’t mind,” L cut in quickly. It would present a good opportunity to talk more to this mysterious Alexander and reveal more of his relationship with Light. Furthermore, if Alexander turned out to be an enemy - which existed as a 78% chance considering Light’s reaction - it would allow L to get close before striking. The best plans were the ones that were personal. The more he understood about Alexander, the easier it would be to help Light triumph over him.

L winced slightly at his thoughts. Already, he was thinking about destroying another person he had met merely five minutes ago. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to devise a plan in case action was needed. It didn’t necessarily mean they would go through with it. It was preventive.

“Ah, very good. I’ve heard there’s an excellent sushi restaurant around here and their spicy tuna roll is delicious. Perhaps you would like to eat there?” Alexander articulated.

“I am not a huge fan of sushi, but I suppose it will do,” L said. Alexander smiled that dead smile again, his eyes remaining solely focused on L like he was eyeing a something valuable. “Is that okay with you Light-kun?”

“That sounds fine, Ryuzaki.” Light replied, stepping closer to L. Alexander clapped his hands together excitedly.

“Wonderful! We shall go now, yes?” Alexander exclaimed. He set off on the path towards the sushi restaurant without glancing back to see if Light and L were following. After a brief moment, where L and Light exchanged a meaningful glance – one where Light warned L to be careful and L reassured Light that he was – they followed the slim, peculiar figure towards whatever awaited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alexander is a character of my own creation - given, of course, the character's existence in canon - but since everyone in Death Note just has the strangest peculiarities (L, B, Near, Matt, Mello, etc), I couldn't resist giving him some of the same. You'll definitely see more of that in the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

Using his long, thin fingers, Alexander delicately picked up a green-tinted pill and placed it in his mouth. He swallowed, and his adam apple bobbing as the pill descended down his esophagus into his stomach. Once there, acid quickly broke down the pill, releasing supplements which then soaked through the small intestine lining into the bloodstream. His steady heart continually pumped and pushed the supplement through the numerous capillary, veins, and arteries, and the body made use of the artificial chemicals to strengthen and protect the busy cells that worked continually to ensure the body continued to perform properly.

Alexander carefully placed another pill, this one a slightly reddish tint, onto the tip of his tongue and took a sip of water to help the pill descended down his throat.

“Isn’t it funny how fragile our bodies are?” Alexander asked as he placed yet another pill in his mouth. This time he dry-swallowed and slightly winced at the sensation of the hard object forcing its way down his throat. “Compared to the rest of the animal world, we are arguably some of its weakest creatures” Alexander continued. “We are nothing but hairless soft creatures who lack in any threatening characters. We have no claws, nor fangs, nor wings to escape any danger. We cannot run fast. We cannot fight well. We are nothing, truly, except for the fact that we question and formulate. Our only real power lies in our mind, a delicate organ that can easily decay and corrupt. Our ability to think allows us to surpass every other animal on the food chain, placing us at the top. We are the masters of the world, yet we cannot even compete physically with the majority of other animals. Take away our ability to think, and we immediately descended the food chain until we are nothing but bony snacks, easily caught, and killed. Already, it almost takes nothing to kill a human. One good injury and we cease to exist. Our body caves in on itself. We are betrayed by our greatest weakness – the fleshy prison that holds us all captive in its mortal constraints. To overcome the body is to achieve immortality.”

“And that’s why Alexander takes an excessive amount of vitamins. Almost like your obsession with sweets.” Light commented to L. He made no acknowledgment of Alexander's long speech, instead focusing on eating the sushi with rigid precision.

“Ah, but Light Yagami, even you acknowledge our weakness. You enjoy apples, do you not?” Alexander asked with a glint in his eyes.

“Just as much as the next person,” Light replied, a fake smile plastered on his face. L observed the whole exchange, noting the underlying animosity.

“Well, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. That is a common Western phrase and well used. You eat healthy to keep your body fit and alive as long as possible. We all take the necessary actions to keep our bodies working.” Alexander picked up a fork and knife and carefully cut a sliver of sushi off and speared it with his fork. In small, measured movements, he brought it to his mouth and delicately bit down. He chewed slowly, savoring every taste. Light shot him an annoyed look which Alexander smiled lightly at. “What about you, Mr. Ryuuzaki? What do you do to ensure the healthiness of your vessel?” He inquired between a bite.

“I don’t particularly do anything…” L responded, thinking about his habits. “In fact, I appear to do the opposite under your terms. I consume a large number of sugary treats daily; I do not sleep much; I do not exercise. It has never struck me as much of a problem.” Light smirked at L’s response.

“Nothing?” asked Alexander, aghast. “Aren’t you worried your body will give out on you?” he asked, horror sketched on his face. L paused a moment.

“Not particularly. Human bodies are capable of undergoing a lot, and I have found that using one’s brain can consume calories faster than exercise. Therefore, as long as I continue to think, I do not believe I will experience any complications arising from my habits.” L looked down at his sushi, dissatisfied by the saltiness of the seaweed. He really couldn’t stand any other taste than the sugary sweetness.

“You really think that?” Light asked in amazement at L’s statement. Alexander continued to look at him with a mix of horror…and interest?

“Of course. That is why I need an almost constant supply of sugar to power my brain.”

“Pretentious much?” Light jibed, smiling at L.

“I simply speak the truth,” L responded, pushing his plate over to Light’s empty one. “I have no interest in sushi. You may have mine if you please.”

“What did you say your name was again?” Alexander asked with his sapphire eyes focused completely on L.

“Ryuuzaki Ruyga,” L responded, returning the gaze with his onyx look. Alexander leaned forward, his expression crossed with curiosity and interest.

“How exactly did you make the acquaintance of Light Yagami, Mr. Ryuzaki Ryuga?” Alexander inquired. Light placed a hand on L’s knee and squeezed softly. L quickly glanced sideways at Light. Even though his expression was practically unreadable, L sensed his discomfort. He nodded slightly in order to reassure Light.

“Light-kun ran into me on his way to class. This initiated a conversation which turned into a tennis match, and from there, our relationship has changed and expanded.”

“So you have not known him for very long.” Alexander leaned forward slightly, catching every word of L’s.

“In temporal terms, no. However, it has appeared to be enough.” L responded. He observed every move of Alexander, filing it to analyze later.

“Since it is now romantic?”

“Alexander, you really don’t need to become a part of this.” Light interrupted.

“Ah, but I think I do Light Yagami. You may continue Mr. Ryuzaki Ryuga.” Alexander looked expectantly at L, but L hesitated before speaking.

“For me to continue to answer your questions, then I request you to answer some of my own.” L placed his thumb on his lips, observing how a large and this time seemingly real smile spread across Alexander’s face.

“Very clever. However, I have no obligation to answer any of your questions.”

“Neither do I.” responded L, turning to Light. “Light-kun, I believe the sale at the bakery is still ongoing. Would you mind if we went, considering how the sushi didn’t satisfy my appetite?”

“Not at all,” Light answered, his eyes shining with amusement.

“I hope you do not mind if we leave. I really would hate to miss the sale.” L stood and moved to leave the table. Light followed up while Alexander regarded them with satisfaction etched on his face.

“You do know how to play a game, Mr. Ryuzaki Ryuga. Sit back down and ask your question. But remember, you are playing with a very dangerous person. Be careful with what you say and do.” Alexander warned, and his eyes flickered with deadly delight. L sat back down, and Light grudgingly followed.

“What is your connection to Light-kun?” L questioned, his eyes narrow and focused. 

“I’m investigating your boyfriend for a case.” Alexander responded, before posing his own question. “What was your first impression of Light Yagami?”

“He was a pretentious ass who had probably had everything he ever wanted presented to him on a silver platter.” L answered honestly drawing an insulted glance from Light. “What case are you investigating with Light-kun?”

“I believe your precious boyfriend is Kira.” A replied. L groaned inwardly. What the hell did Light do to already become a suspect? Japan contained millions of people, but somehow this Alexander had narrowed down the population to Light. “What do you think of Light Yagami now?” Alexander asked.

“He is extremely fascinating and I have yet to be bored with his company. “ L paused, thinking of his next question. If he immediately moved on from Alexander’s accusation, it might cast suspicion on Light. It might be better to appear surprised, so L deiced to restate Alexander’s answer. “Did you just say Light-kun is suspected of being Kira?”

“I did. What are your thoughts on that accusation?”

“I have had no reason to suspect him for committing those murders. In fact, I have not even considered it. Who are you?”

“I am A.” Alexander admitted. L’s eyes widened in shock. A was the world's greatest detective, if not the greatest detective of the twenty-first century. He had solved almost every case imaginable, and here he was sitting right across the table. “So Light Yagami has displayed no signs of being Kira, either in his actions or words?” Alexander continued

“Light-kun has displayed a strong sense of justice, but other than that Light-kun has exhibited no other signs. Why do you suspect Light-kun?”

“Oh, a multitude of reasons. He fits every characteristic that Kira has exited thus far. Do you think Light Yagami could be Kira?”

“No, I do not believe Light-kun is Kira. I do not like disregarding any possibility, but the chance of Light-kun being Kira is close to one percent and only because he displays above-average intelligence. How do you believe Kira is committing these crimes?”

“It’s still a mystery, but one I will solve. Do you think Light Yagami could be hiding anything from you?”

“We all hide secrets about ourselves, so yes of course Light Yagami is hiding things from me, just as I am hiding things from him and you are hiding things from us.” L answered. He weighed the risk of expressing more interest to Kira, but decided that anyone would be curious about such a heated topic. “How do you plan to catch Kira?” L asked

“I need to catch him in the act. Do you think Light Yagami could be hiding the secret of being Kira from you?”

“Light-kun is an adept liar, but I am certain I would know if Light-kun was hiding such a big secret. He could not hide that secret from me. What is your greatest fear?”

“The inevitability of death. And yours?”

“Losing to anyone, regardless of circumstance.”

“Fascinating.” Alexander murmured. “You really have something here Light Yagami. I am impressed.”

“Thank you, Alexander. Now if you would excuse us, we really must go.” Light said, standing to move up. L looked at him quizzically.

“Where to Light-kun?”

“You said the sale was still going on at the bakery right? And I would really hate for you to go hungry. You understand Alexander, right?” Light grabbed his coat, throwing it around his shoulder and sliding his hands into the sleeves.

“Ah, yes of course Mr. Light Yagami. You will still be meeting with me tonight. I will call you with details.” Alexander continued to sit and from his pocket removed a small bottle of pills. He removed one and stuck out his tongue to place the pill in his mouth. He smiled at L and his eyes roamed every inch of L’s frame. L continued to sit precariously.

“One last question,” he demanded.

“Hmm? Oh, go for it.” Alexander agreed, his thin lips pressed tightly together.

“As you said, death is inevitable.”

“Yes.” Alexander agreed. “And?”

“How do you want to die?” L questioned, his expression serious and intense. Alexander appeared taken aback by the sudden question, before leaning in close to L’s face.

“Under my own terms. And you?” Alexander whispered so quietly Light couldn’t hear. His eyes became deep pools of water which L could feel himself slowly drowning inside the irises.

“Poetically.” L whispered back, his voice nearly silent and only caught by Alexander’s adept ears. “Thank you for answering my questions.”

“Likewise,” Alexander responded without removing his attention from L. They continued to stare at each other for a good couple of minutes, neither side daring or wishing to break the eye contact. Light stood awkwardly by the side but knew better than to intercede. Instead, he watched the whole interaction with a sly enjoyment. He really couldn’t have found anyone better than L. Alexander didn’t like anyone. He barely tolerated the task forces' presence and scarcely hid his animosity towards Light. He was solitary in every aspect of his life. Alexander didn’t talk to anyone; instead, he commanded. He only needed people to act as an audience and highlight his brilliance. But L, in a matter of thirty minutes, had drawn Alexander’s complete attention and fascination. Alexander had actually engaged in a conversation that didn’t include his prideful monologues. He had revealed more in this time then Light had managed to learn in weeks. L’s had entrapped Alexander in his own game, and it would only be a matter of time before Light could use that to his advantage.

L was a powerful weapon and one that Light intended to use to its full extent.

L was the first to break the eye contact and looked up at Light who had remained standing.

“Are you ready to go, Light-kun?” L asked. Light nodded in response and watched as L slowly stood up. Alexander quickly followed, extending his hand again towards L. L grasped Alexander’s delicate hand in his own thin fingers and shook slightly. They continued to hold onto each other for a moment longer than necessary, and Light shifted slightly. There was a strange coiling feeling in his stomach that made him want to violently murder Alexander more so than usual. Even though it would be beneficial for L to get close to Alexander, Light didn’t want him to get _too _close. L was his after all, and not some snobby detectives.

L eventually broke the handshake and moved from behind the table. “Light-kun…” he murmured, grasping Light’s wrist between his fingers and pulling him slightly. “I want cheesecake now.”

“I’ll see you later Alexander.” Light said quickly as L tugged him towards the exit.

“Yes…” Alexander murmured distractedly, his gaze fixed solely on L’s receding back. He shook his head slightly as if to break from a daze. “I will call you.” He said with gaze still directed towards L. Light couldn’t help but smile at Alexander’s rapture. L exhibited an irresistible persona who drew even the most secluded of people. He did to Light, who still couldn’t understand how he had fallen so fast and hard, and now he was doing it to the world’s greatest detective who had been previously untouchable by all.

L was the pull that drew you closer and closer to the edge until there was nothing left but empty space and insubstantial air. Then suddenly, you were twisting and hurtling towards the hard unforgiving ground, incapable of regaining control and resigned to the dreaded fate. At the very last second, you desperately glance upwards into the endless blue sky dotted with the foreboding clouds in one last desperate attempt to defy gravity and sprout feathery wings that would gather the air and propel you through the light-soaked air while the sun beat down mercilessly and the sky opened up to the thunderous rain clouds that saturated the air with soaking rain, only interrupted by the harsh claps of thunder and the blinding flashes of lightning.

L already knew how to fly.

Light would learn.

There was a 96% chance Alexander would not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a few years back as teenager with a taste for the dramatic. I'm sure it comes across, and while I'm glad my writing has improved since then, there's something just fun about this story. Sixteen year old me really did not have to go as hard as she did - especially in later chapters. 
> 
> Also, I figured that all the Wammy kids had their quirks, so I absolutely had to give A one. I figured a fear of death and decay fit.


	10. Chapter 10

Crimson leaves littered the patio surrounding the cozy bakery. A gust of wind blew occasionally, throwing up the leaves in a whirlwind of fiery colors before they settled slowly down on the pavement again. Light watched in a slight daze as the process repeated.

The breeze also chilled the air, and Light threw his arm around L’s bony shoulders in order to preserve the warmth between them. L paid no attention to the sudden drop in temperature and instead focused completely on his strawberry coated cheesecake. He eagerly bit into the sweet dessert and delighted in the creaminess of the cake. No other sensation compared to the first bite into an excellently made cheesecake. Light could enjoy his apples, but true enjoyment came from the sweet flavors of candy and cake. Speaking of Light, he owed L a long explanation.

“Explain,” L ordered while taking another bite of his cheesecake. He felt Light’s grasp around his shoulders stiffen slightly.

“That was A. He goes by Alexander during the case. He’s the detective,” Light began.

“I know who A is. And you know him how exactly?” L interrupted.

“He’s asked for my help on the Kira case.”

“But he also suspects you,” L stated, his voice low and quiet. It reminded Light of a rattlesnake tail, warning one to tread carefully or face painful consequences.

“Yes. A investigated me for a while but was unable to come up with any solid evidence. My Dad is heading the case, and A decided to ask for my help. It’s really a test to see if I truly am Kira. He has nothing on me.” Light fell silent. He could elaborate more, but sensing L’s silent anger decided to fall quiet.

“And you didn’t believe this was important to tell me?” L asked softly. He took another small bite of the cheesecake.

“I was going to tell you. Things happened so fast, and I didn’t expect A to show up here.”

“Well, Light-kun was wrong. A did show up, and I was in the dark during the whole encounter. This will not happen again. You will tell me everything from now on.” L ordered, his tone nonnegotiable.

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Light declared, attempting to display his dominance from L. He cared for L, but there was no obligation for him to tell him everything. He would tell L what L needed to know, and L would do what he saw fit with that information.

“Wrong,” L challenged. He moved to carefully cup Light’s chin, before roughly tightening his grasp and pulling him until their breaths mingled in the cold air. “You will tell me everything. You will hide nothing from me, and you will always speak the truth to me. If you do not agree, then consider this arrangement over.” Light’s eyes darkened upon hearing the ultimatum.

“On the contrary, I will tell you what you need to know. Nothing more. You will not threaten me.” Light hissed.

“I will not tell lies for someone who does not trust me enough to tell me the entire truth. If you cannot comply with my terms, then consider this over.”

Light laughed softly. “You really think that will do it? You won’t leave me L. You have nothing to go back to.”

“You’d be surprised at what I have in my life. You are simply a footnote to dispel my boredom in Japan. It would be a shame to end this footnote so early on, but if you refuse to disclose the truth, I’m afraid it must happen,” L threatened softly. He refused to live a life of lies. Light would either tell him the truth or tell him nothing at all.

“L, think of what you’re saying. I’m the best thing ever to happen to you. I am offering you everything,” Light growled, annoyed at L’s stubbornness. L had absolutely nothing besides Light.

“Except the truth,” L stated, digging his nails lightly into Light’s cheeks. It wasn’t enough to hurt, but it would cause some discomfort.

“I don’t do truth.”

“Then you will either try to, or we will say goodbye,” L declared.

Light pulled back from L’s grasp, angrily rubbing at the marks L’s fingernails left. Light considered the options. He could refuse and risk losing L. However, he was confident in his abilities to win L back. L was his, and he would not lose him over a small scuffle. On the other hand, if he did refuse and L did return to England, there would be no chance for Light to see L anymore. He would lose a valuable asset.

There was no denying that L was important to him and that he would do almost anything to ensure that he wouldn’t lose him. But to tell the complete truth about this…he would place himself completely at L’s mercy. L already knew too much, but he couldn’t do much about it. If he suddenly went off about gods of death and notebooks that killed people, people would immediately disregard L as crazy. A may put more thought into L’ claims, but if they couldn’t find the notebook, they couldn’t prove anything.

But to tell L all of his plans and thoughts would be a huge step. L could destroy those plans if he chooses, and it would hinder Light’s progress greatly. Light Yagami wasn’t one to tell the truth. However, he refused to lose L. Was that enough of a reason to discard lies and try the truth?

He despised his indecision.

Light ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “L, I can’t…” he muttered, his eyes downcast. If L attempted to leave now, Light wouldn’t let him. He would pull L kicking and screaming to a place he could never leave.

“How are you planning to outwit A?” L asked bluntly. He noticed Light’s apprehension and decided that the best course of action would be to give Light the opportunity to speak the truth. He would either prove himself or not.

“Outwit A?” Light asked, his eyes widening slightly as he was taken back by the sudden question.

“Yes, you must have a plan. I want to hear it,” L continued, shifting slightly. _Don’t mess this up Light Yagami._

“What will you do if I tell you?” Light asked, his expression guarded. He weighed the risk of revealing his plan to L.

“I will decide once Light-kun tells me,” L responded and moved to take another bite of cheesecake. Disappointed, he realized he had finished the thick slice of cake; the only remnants were a few crumbs and whipped cream. L couldn’t let the cream go to waste, so he picked up the plate and in one long move, licked the whipped cream off the plate. His tongue danced across the plate before drawing back into his mouth. Light watched the whole action but made no comment. Instead, he thought about L’s request. Would the gain be worth the risk?

“I need his name,” Light stated. L cocked his head, listening closely.

“How do you intend to do that?” L asked gently. It would be good to ease Light into this. He obviously had trust issues.

“A wouldn’t be such a fool to reveal it to me. There is a way for me to discover my name, but it would require me to impart half of my life, something I refuse to do.” Light took a deep breath before continuing. “However, this deal that takes part between a shinigami and the owner of the death note is valuable in its implications, and therefore my idea was to force someone else to make that bargain.” Light paused, noticing L’s apprehension. “It would be a criminal, L. Someone already determined to die.” He clarified, “Half their life span doesn’t mean much. I would arrange it so the criminal gifted the eyes would be within eyesight of A and consequently would be able to see his name. He would then write the name down and deliver it to me. Using that information I could write A’s real name down, and that would be the end of that.”

“There’s a catch, isn’t there Light-kun?” L asked doubtfully. Light’s plan made sense; however, there was a lot that could go wrong. Light took a deep breath before continuing. It wasn’t easy telling L all this, but he had to admit it was nice getting this off his chest. He had someone he could bounce ideas off now, and with L, he could expand the plan to become practically fail-proof.

“The only way to make this eye-deal is if the person is in full ownership of the notebook. That requires me to give up possession. When I give up possession, I will lose all memories regarding the notebook and Kira. I would lose everything. It is essential that I get my hands back on the notebook, which is why I am hesitant to put this plan into play. If for some reason, I lose possession of the notebook, I lose the game and the criminal world, the world I am fighting so hard against, would gain a powerful weapon. It would be a disaster. I have considered writing the criminal's actions in the notebook, so even if he gains possession, he would be forced to complete what I write.” L startled at this information.

“I was unaware that you can control a person’s actions through the notebook,” L murmured.

“If I write down the person’s cause of death, they will die in such a way. It’s useful,” Light offered before returning to his previous train of thoughts. “Logically, that would work. He would be held accountable to the Death Note and would complete the written actions with no resistance. However, if something does happen…if he is apprehended or fails to complete the actions, I would lose everything. That is not a risk I am willing to take so easily. The plan must be fail-proof before I commence. Thankfully, A has only been an irritation and not a large threat to my plans for the new world. He has nothing on me except empty suspicion. If he starts to become more of a concern, I suppose I will have to continue with the plan and run the immeasurable risk of it failing.”

“Not anymore,” L declared.

“Huh?” Light asked, confused by L’s short statement.

“If you give up possession of the diary, you will lose your memories, correct?”

“Yes,” Light stated as the implications of the L’s plan began to dawn on him. “But you wouldn’t lose your memories…or at least you shouldn’t. I can ask Ryuk, but he isn’t always the most helpful.”

“If I retained my memories of the notebook and you, I would be able to ensure that plan is followed exactly, and if something happens I could get the notebook back to you, or at least make sure the criminal doesn’t hand it over to someone else. There would still be a risk, but with my help, there is an 88% chance this will succeed.”

“You really would be willing to do this?” Light inquired. L’s assistance would be invaluable; he only had to be willing to place everything in L’s hands. Light wouldn’t be able to stop L if he decided to take the Death Note and leave Light.

“Yes. But most importantly, do you trust me enough to do this? You would have to be concrete in your trust in me.” L asked, his eyes focused deep into Light’s own.

“No, I don’t trust anyone enough to do this. But you would be the closest I would get,” Light admitted, drawing in a deep breath. This was the first time he had put so much truth in another person, and it frightened him. He was so used to always keeping everything to himself.

“I have no intention in taking the notebook, Light-kun. I do not take pleasure in killing others. If you trust me with this, I will return your notebook to you,” L reassured. Light nodded slightly, still hesitant about the agreement. L noticed his hesitation. “Since it is such a large risk, I will provide you with information that would direct authorities to suspect me as Kira. Therefore, if I do not return the notebook, you will possess a confession that would rob me of my life. I would become a fugitive and lose all hope for my future. Does that satisfy your concern?” L finished. He truly had no desire for the notebook; there was no one he sought to kill. He supposes he could kill criminals, but Light was already doing an excellent job with that and L enjoyed catching the criminals more than actually punishing them. He would leave Light with his notebook of death. He only had to make sure Light realized that.

“I…I’ll need to think this over, L,” Light glanced away.

“Of course, take as much time as you desire,” L assured and brought a hand up to Light’s cheek. Light leaned softly into the added warmth, and his eyes flickered shut.

“It’s a good plan, L. I just need to think it through, and I’m not completely certain that you won’t lose your memories too. What would really be great is if someone already had the eyes and would be willing to help. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about this at all…” Light murmured, his eyes still shut. L cocked his head to get a better angle, and smiled at the view of a tired Light.

“How much have you been sleeping Light-kun?” L asked, jolting Light from his doze.

“How much have _you _been sleeping L?” Light shot back.

“I suffer insomnia, so I consequently do not sleep much. However, Light-kun should make sure he gets at least eight hours of sleep a night if he wants to remain with top functioning mental capabilities. Sleep is important for you.”

“What are you, my mom?” Light mumbled and let out a yawn. He admittedly was very tired, and he hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately. He was constantly busy, whether it was studying for college and acting as Kira. Maybe that was why he was acting so open with L? Academics at To-oh weren’t difficult by any means, they just required a lot of work. On top of that, Light had to create a perfect world and outwit the world’s greatest detective, all while masquerading as a perfectly ordinary eighteen-year-old boy. Light usually took good care of himself, but with all the added stress from both school and A, he had found himself slipping. Fatigue was sneaking up on him, but Light managed to push it back. However, the whole encounter with A and the two arguments with L had left him exhausted, and he was surprised he hadn’t fallen asleep on his feet. A good night’s rest would be extremely beneficial; Light just didn’t have the time to waste precious hours sleeping.

“No. I am your boyfriend, as you stated earlier,” L paused, observing how Light could barely keep his eyes open. “Come on Light-kun,” L stated before standing up. “My apartment is close by, so I will take you there so you can sleep. I would take you to your house, but I am not certain you will remain awake long enough. Now, come along.” L half lifted the tired boy from the bench and began moving him along the path. Light struggled against L’s help, before eventually succumbing and leaning heavily on L’s shoulder. L buckled slightly, surprised at the weight of Light. For someone so thin, he was awfully heavy.

After a difficult ten minutes, L managed to force the nearly asleep Light into his bed. He arranged the pillows around Light’s head and tucked him under the blankets. He didn’t use his bed much, so the sheets were clean, something he was sure Light would worry about.

He looked down at the sleeping boy. Light had relaxed completely and his face radiated peace and contentment. L ran a finger from Light’s forehead and down the side of his face, before stopping at his lips. He traced them softly, marveling at the velvety softness. He paused in his actions when he felt Light shift under his movements, and after a moment of hesitation, L leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Light’s lips. He remained with his back bent and his mouth on Light’s for a while, feeling the other boy’s soft breath ghost off his skin. Only after Light parted his lips and turned his head slightly did L deem it appropriate to leave Light to his slumber. Light would wake up eventually, and L had a dozen donuts waiting for him in his cupboard. He also needed to call the Yagami's, so that they wouldn’t worry about their son.

L hovered over Light a second longer before pulling back and moving to the door. At the doorframe, L paused, his silhouette illuminated by the light radiating from the kitchen. He turned back, observing the sleeping boy once more. Of course, from this distance, sleep easily became death and death, sleep. They became indistinguishable for they were so alike. The only difference being that for one, you would wake up and rejoin the world of the living, while the other you would not.

“Sleep well.” L whispered into the darkness at the sleeping body –corpse- that occupied his bed. The corpse – sleeping body- gave no response.


End file.
